COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Aerials

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many mobile phone masts were erected in 2007; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  how many mobile phone masts were erected in the last 10 years; and if she will make a statement.

Iain Wright: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	However, the Mobile Operators Association estimates that at the start of 2008, there were around 50,300 base station sites in the UK, with two thirds of these on existing buildings or structures. This information is available at:
	http://www.mobilemastinfo.com/information/fact_sheets/mobile_phones_and_base_stations.htm
	The Office of Communications (Ofcom) operates Sitefinder, http://www.sitefinder.ofcom.org.uk/, a searchable database which shows the locations and operating characteristics of operational base stations in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. In addition, every autumn, the mobile phone operators share their annual roll-out plans with local planning authorities and list all the existing sites in the local authority area as well as proposed sites. Many local planning authorities also maintain mast registers, although this is at local discretion.

Aggregates: Standards

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how the regional guidelines for land-won sand and gravel production set out in the National and Regional Guidelines for Aggregates Provision in England 2001 to 2016 were determined; and how they are monitored.

Iain Wright: The regional guidelines for the provision of aggregates, published in 2003 following public consultation, were based on a forecast of national demand for aggregates that was broken down to the regional level informed by regional data on aggregates consumption from the national survey of aggregate minerals. Targets for the use of secondary and recycled materials were taken into account, with the remaining demand to be met from primary aggregates.
	The guidelines include arrangements for annual monitoring and reports are published on the Communities and Local Government website. Monitoring shows that at the national level forecast demand for aggregates for the period 2001 to 2016 remains as estimated previously. However, we propose to revise the guidelines to cover the period to 2020, and correct some minor regional differences. We will be consulting on proposed revisions shortly.

Chemicals: Teesside

Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what fire risk assessment has been carried out in respect of  (a) the largest chemical industry installation on Teesside and  (b) the proximity of chemical industry installations to urban settlements on Teesside.

Parmjit Dhanda: Fire and rescue authorities (FRAs) are required by the fire and rescue service national framework to have in place and maintain an integrated risk management plan (IRMP) which reflects local need and sets out plans to tackle effectively both existing and potential risks to communities. The IRMP enables the authority to tailor cover to fire and other incidents to local circumstances—evaluating where risk is greatest and allocating resource accordingly. It is not for central Government to comment upon or intervene in the operational proposals in an authority's IRMP including, in this case, any assessment of the risks posed by chemical installations in Teesside.
	The draft fire and rescue service national framework 2008-11, which has recently been out to public consultation, requires FRAs' IRMPs to have regard to the risk analyses completed by local and regional resilience forums including those reported in external community risk registers (CRRs). Cleveland FRA will therefore need to have regard to any chemical installation risks identified in the CRR.

Fire Services: Standards

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many and what proportion of Fire Service response times from time of call to time of first attendance were of a duration of  (a) up to five,  (b) six to 10,  (c) 11 to 15 and  (d) over 15 minutes in each year since 2000, broken down by fire authority.

Parmjit Dhanda: holding answer 10 March 2008
	The information requested has been deposited in the Library of the House.

Fires

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many fires were reported to the Fire Service in each year since 1978, broken down by  (a) type,  (b) brigade and  (c) region.

Parmjit Dhanda: holding answer 10 March 2008
	The information requested is available from 1981 to 2006, and has been deposited in the Library of the House.

Homelessness

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many homelessness applications were rejected in the fourth quarter of 2007 in each of the English regions; and what percentage change that represented compared with the same period in the previous year;
	(2)  how many approaches for help to local authority homelessness units there are in each of the English regions in the fourth quarter of 2007; and what percentage change that represented compared with the same period in the previous year.

Iain Wright: Information about English local housing authorities' actions under the homelessness legislation (part 7 of the Housing Act 1996) is collected quarterly at local authority level.
	Under the legislation, authorities must secure suitable accommodation for applicants accepted as eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need (or take steps to secure that accommodation does not cease to be available if the applicant is likely to become homeless within 28 days). CLG's quarterly homelessness Statistical Release refers to these duties as "the main homelessness duties" and relevant applicants are recorded as "homeless acceptances". Applicants who are accepted as eligible for assistance, homeless, but not in priority need must be provided with advice and assistance in any attempts they make to secure accommodation for themselves; they are not recorded as "homeless acceptances".
	Local authorities report all decisions they make under part 7, but information about the total number of applications for housing assistance is not held centrally. The following table shows the total number of decisions made by English local housing authorities under part 7 of the Housing Act 1996. The totals shown differ from those in the Statistical Release, since they include applications by persons not eligible for assistance under the legislation.
	
		
			  Total number of decisions( 1)  made by English local housing authorities during Quarter 4 2007 under part 7 of the Housing Act 1996 
			   October to December 2007  (number)  Change since October to December 2006  (percentage) 
			 North-east 1,610 -33 
			 North-west 4,480 -24 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 4,270 -21 
			 East midlands 1,920 -27 
			 West midlands 4,680 12 
			 East of England 2,680 -18 
			 London 7,630 -16 
			 South-east 2,590 -21 
			 South-west 2,260 -23 
			
			 England 32,110 -18 
			 (1) Applications for housing assistance considered under the homelessness provisions of the 1996 Housing Act. This figure includes applicants found not eligible for assistance. 
		
	
	The following table below shows the number of decisions made under part 7 on applicant households between October and December 2007, where a main homelessness duty was not accepted. The table also shows the percentage change in this figure compared to the same quarter during 2006. Note that the figures include applications by households not eligible for assistance under the legislation.
	
		
			  Total number of decisions( 1)  made by English local housing authorities during Quarter 4 2007 under part 7 of the Housing Act 1996 where a "main homelessness duty" was not accepted 
			   October to December 2007  (number)  Change since October to December 2006  (percentage) 
			 North-east 740 -39 
			 North-west 2,470 -24 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 2,610 -25 
			 East midlands 860 -30 
			 West midlands 2,290 1 
			 East of England 1,280 -21 
			 London 4,200 -22 
			 South-east 1,280 -21 
			 South-west 1,140 -35 
			 England 16,870 -23 
			 (1) Applications for housing assistance considered under the homelessness provisions of the 1996 Housing Act. This figure includes applicants found not eligible for assistance.

Housing: Low Incomes

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the take-up was of each category of Homebuy scheme in each county and region in each year the scheme has been available; and what the total value was of homes produced.

Caroline Flint: The following tables show the number of homes provided through each category of HomeBuy scheme by region and county or unitary authority from April 2006 to 31 January 2008.
	
		
			  Region  Social HomeBuy  Open Market HomeBuy  New Build HomeBuy/Shared ownership 
			 North East 9 8 153 
			 North West 27 184 1,122 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 18 110 545 
			 East Midlands 5 106 1,269 
			 West Midlands 6 250 1,288 
			 East 1 577 2,128 
			 London 70 1,361 6,022 
			 South East 16 1,531 4,311 
			 South West 1 332 1,586 
			 Total 153 4,459 18,424 
		
	
	
		
			  County or unitary authority  Social HomeBuy  Open Market HomeBuy  New Build HomeBuy/Shared ownership 
			 City of Derby (B) 0 5 59 
			 City of Leicester (B) 1 22 121 
			 City of Nottingham (B) 0 7 24 
			 Derbyshire County 0 10 136 
			 Leicestershire County 0 21 168 
			 Lincolnshire County 0 12 221 
			 Northamptonshire County 4 20 464 
			 Nottinghamshire County 0 9 68 
			 Rutland 0 0 8 
			 Bedfordshire County 0 54 114 
			 Cambridgeshire County 0 74 393 
			 City of Peterborough (B) 0 7 64 
			 Essex County 0 144 326 
			 Hertfordshire County 1 110 713 
			 Luton (B) 0 28 0 
			 Norfolk County 0 89 148 
			 Southend-on-Sea (B) 0 15 12 
			 Suffolk County 0 51 321 
			 Thurrock (B) 0 5 37 
			 Greater London Authority 70 1,361 6,022 
			 Darlington (B) 0 0 25 
			 Durham County 1 2 10 
			 Gateshead District (B) 0 0 40 
			 Hartlepool (B) 0 0 0 
			 Middlesbrough (B) 4 0 27 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne District (B) 0 4 23 
			 North Tyneside District (B) 0 1 10 
			 Northumberland County 0 1 2 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 1 0 0 
			 South Tyneside District (B) 3 0 0 
			 Stockton-on-Tees (B) 0 0 16 
			 Sunderland District (B) 0 0 0 
			 Blackburn with Darwen (B) 0 1 45 
			 Blackpool (B) 0 3 55 
			 Bolton District (B) 0 5 71 
			 Bury District (B) 0 5 0 
			 Cheshire County 0 15 156 
			 Cumbria County 0 15 49 
			 Halton (B) 0 2 43 
			 Lancashire County 5 22 163 
			 Liverpool District (B) 0 41 234 
			 Manchester District (B) 13 44 25 
			 Oldham District (B) 0 0 25 
			 Rochdale District (B) 0 2 0 
			 Salford District (B) 0 5 22 
			 Sefton District (B) 9 0 91 
			 St. Helens District (B) 0 0 33 
			 Stockport District (B) 0 18 8 
			 Tameside (B) 0 1 0 
			 Trafford District (B) 0 2 64 
			 Warrington (B) 0 0 9 
			 Wigan District (B) 0 3 0 
			 Wirral District (B) 0 0 29 
			 Bracknell Forest (B) 0 25 30 
			 Buckinghamshire County 0 74 201 
			 City of Portsmouth (B) 0 0 169 
			 City of Southampton (B) 0 0 196 
			 East Sussex County 2 38 91 
			 Hampshire County 7 477 720 
			 Isle of Wight 0 0 72 
			 Kent County 0 150 619 
			 Medway (B) 0 33 97 
			 Milton Keynes (B) 0 29 351 
			 Oxfordshire County 0 123 272 
			 Reading (B) 0 45 201 
			 Slough (B) 0 25 26 
			 Surrey County 1 285 606 
			 The City of Brighton and Hove (B) 1 51 207 
			 West Berkshire 0 16 96 
			 West Sussex County 5 107 284 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead (B) 0 33 30 
			 Wokingham 0 20 43 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 0 12 46 
			 Bournemouth (B) 0 22 13 
			 City of Bristol (B) 0 28 121 
			 City of Plymouth (B) 1 14 93 
			 Cornwall County 0 26 170 
			 Devon County 0 42 179 
			 Dorset County 0 32 48 
			 Gloucestershire County 0 51 223 
			 North Somerset 0 8 68 
			 Poole (B) 0 9 81 
			 Somerset County 0 27 125 
			 South Gloucestershire 0 19 41 
			 Swindon (B) 0 9 199 
			 Torbay (B) 0 0 38 
			 Wiltshire County 0 33 141 
			 Birmingham District (B) 2 47 473 
			 City of Stoke-on-Trent (B) 0 4 42 
			 City of Wolverhampton District (B) 0 10 33 
			 County of Herefordshire 0 29 18 
			 Coventry District (B) 2 8 34 
			 Dudley District (B) 0 10 55 
			 Sandwell District (B) 0 6 32 
			 Shropshire County 0 1 31 
			 Solihull District (B) 0 7 57 
			 Staffordshire County 0 9 137 
			 Telford and Wrekin 2 3 0 
			 Walsall District (B) 0 4 123 
			 Warwickshire County 0 13 177 
			 Worcestershire County 0 99 76 
			 Barnsley District (B) 0 1 22 
			 Bradford District (B) 5 7 44 
			 Calderdale District (B) 0 1 60 
			 City of Kingston Upon Hull (B) 6 0 14 
			 Doncaster District (B) 0 4 0 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 0 7 11 
			 Kirklees District (B) 0 4 37 
			 Leeds District (B) 4 20 138 
			 North East Lincolnshire (B) 0 0 40 
			 North Lincolnshire (B) 0 0 13 
			 North Yorkshire County 0 35 43 
			 Rotherham District (B) 0 3 4 
			 Sheffield District (B) 1 4 40 
			 Wakefield District (B) 1 4 74 
			 York (B) 1 20 5 
			 Total 153 4,459 18,424 
			  Source: Housing Corporation Investment Management System and includes Local Authority Social HomeBuy completions 
		
	
	The Continuous Recording System data for 2006-07 show (based on returns from registered social landlords and local authorities) the total market value of homes sold under Social HomeBuy, Open Market HomeBuy and new build HomeBuy/Shared Ownership was £1,628 million.

Housing: Low Incomes

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she will publish her Department's evaluation of Social HomeBuy.

Iain Wright: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 10 March 2008,  Official Report, column 64W.

Lichfield District Council: Local Government Finance

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much was spent by Lichfield district council in each of the last four financial years; and what revenue the council received from  (a) Government grants,  (b) (i) council tax and (ii) non-domestic rates,  (c) the sale of assets and  (d) other sources in each of those years.

John Healey: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  £000 
			   2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Revenue expenditure 11,600 10,753 12,353 12,603 
			  Financed by 
			 Government grants 3,131 3,113 3,709 2,713 
			 Redistributed non-domestic rates 3,253 2,538 2,711 4,853 
			 Council tax 4,770 5,128 5,413 5,817 
			 Other 446 -26 520 -780 
			  
			 Capital expenditure 5,759 5,833 5,187 4,253 
			  Financed by 
			 Central Government grants 689 617 709 338 
			 Use of capital receipts 0 4,577 2,299 2,993 
			 Other 5,070 639 2,179 922 
			  
			 Capital receipts in year 3,554 1,255 857 1,110 
			  Source: Communities and local government revenue and capital outturn returns 
		
	
	Revenue figures are produced on a non-financial reporting standard 17 (FRS17) basis.
	Government grants within revenue expenditure are defined here as the sum of revenue support grant and specific grants inside aggregate external finance (AEF), i.e. revenue grants paid for council's core services.
	Other within revenue expenditure includes: transfers and adjustments; appropriations to/from revenue reserves; collection fund surpluses/deficits; and community charge amounts transferred to/from collection fund.
	Local authority council tax requirement is the council tax available to finance revenue expenditure, not council tax collected.
	Revenue figures exclude grants outside AEF (i.e. where funding is not for authorities' core services, but is passed to a third party, for example, rent allowances and rebates), capital grants, funding for the local authorities' housing management responsibilities and those grant programmes (such as European funding) where authorities are simply one of the recipients of funding paid towards an area.
	Comparisons across years may not be valid owing to changing local authority responsibilities.

Local Authorities: Debt Collection

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance has been issued to local authorities on the use of bailiffs to collect civil debts owed by residents to them.

Parmjit Dhanda: No such guidance has been issued by Communities and Local Government. On 18 March 2008, the Ministry of Justice published its response to the consultation paper "Regulation of Enforcement Agents". The response recommended that bailiffs in England and Wales should be regulated by one body, the Security Industry Authority. The consultation paper and the response are available on the Ministry of Justice's website at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/cp0207.htm

Social Rented Housing: Construction

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many social rented properties the Housing Corporation plans to build in the 2006 to 2008 financial period; how many bids it has received for this period; what steps it is taking to encourage further bids; and in which areas fewer bids have been received than are required.

Iain Wright: Over the period 2006-08 we set the Housing Corporation targets to deliver an additional 49,000 social rented homes and 35,000 low cost home ownership homes. These homes will be provided through new investment during the two years and through commitments already within the Housing Corporation's affordable housing programme.
	During the 2006-08 bidding round, the Housing Corporation received bids totalling £8 billion for 160,000 units. They made allocations of over £4 billion to schemes to provide 97,000 homes, some of which will not be delivered until after 2008. During the course of the programme some schemes will be subject to delay. Under the terms of their partnership agreements with the Housing Corporation, housing associations and other developers are obliged to offer replacement schemes in these circumstances. In addition, as part of the Corporation's normal in year management of their programme, bids for deliverable schemes can be submitted at any time. This helps to ensure that national targets are met and resources committed.

HEALTH

Accident and Emergency Departments

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of the population lives more than 20 miles from an accident and emergency department in each primary care trust area in England.

Ben Bradshaw: The information requested is not available centrally.

Baby Care Units: Inspections

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Healthcare Commission inspects neo-natal units.

Ben Bradshaw: The Healthcare Commission (HC) may inspect neonatal units as part of the annual health check assessment of the national health service.
	As part of the HC's annual health check, NHS organisations are required to declare the extent of their compliance with core standards, which are specified by the Government in "Standards for Better Health". The declarations are made annually.
	Following the submission of declarations, the HC inspects approximately 20 per cent. of trusts to validate the data.
	The Department has funded via the HC a project to develop and implement a national neonatal audit programme. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health has been commissioned to take this project forward over the next two years, and are expected to provide data on the first year shortly.

Blood Transfusion Services

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria are used to assess a geographical area as having a poor level of blood collection as outlined in the review of the National Blood Service Strategy.

Dawn Primarolo: The review team, consisting of NHS Blood and Transplant, and supported by McKinsey and Co., used two criteria to assess the level of blood collection performance in a geographical area: donor penetration and donation frequency. Donor penetration is measured by the percentage of blood donors in the eligible population. Donor frequency is measured by the number of times donors give blood in a given period.

Blood: v CJD

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the level of risk of transmission of vCJD infection posed by blood transfusions.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department produced two assessments of the risk of variant Creutzfeldt Jakob disease (vCJD) transmission via blood transfusion in 2002: "Exclusion of blood component recipients from donation: the impact on potential vCJD transmission risks", and "On vCJD transmission through blood components: reconciling modelled risks with case evidence".
	The Department published a preface to these two documents, "Risk Assessments for vCJD and Blood Transfusion: Preface to Papers Produced by Dept of Health Analysts", in June 2006. This addresses the implications of the first three cases of vCJD transmission via blood transfusion. Copies of these three documents have been placed in the Library and can also be found on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publichealth/Communicablediseases/CJD/CJDgeneralinformation/DH_4136944.

Blood: v CJD

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have developed vCJD infection following a blood transfusion in each year since 1990.

Dawn Primarolo: There have been four cases of variant Creutzfeld-Jakob disease (vCJD) infection associated with blood transfusion, three of whom died of clinical vCJD, the fourth died from an unrelated medical condition. These patients received blood transfusions between 1996 and 1999, from donors who subsequently developed clinical vCJD. Since 1999 the Department has put a number of precautionary measures in place to prevent the possible transmission of vCJD by blood transfusion.

Bridlington Hospital

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received on Bridlington hospital; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: In the last six months, the Department has received a number of written representations from members of the public regarding the consultations 'A Future Role for Bridlington Hospital' and 'A Future for Maternity Services' at the Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Healthcare NHS Trust.
	There have also been a small number of representations from hon. Members, Bridlington Town Council, the Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee of the North Yorkshire and East Riding of Yorkshire councils as well as the Independent Reconfiguration Panel.
	The Department received a 38,168 signature petition opposing changes to services at Bridlington hospital on 25 March 2008.

Childbirth

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the survival rate of children born at 22 to 25 weeks gestation was in the UK in the most recent period for which figures are available; how many were  (a) born alive and  (b) still-born; how many subsequently (i) survived and (ii) died; when his Department last undertook an evidence review on the issue that drew on (A) UK and (B) international research; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: The information requested is shown in the following tables. We have commissioned the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit (NPEU) to take forward a programme of systematic reviews of the research evidence to identify and promote the key interventions that are most likely to contribute to meeting our target for infant mortality. The topics are likely to include the major medical causes of infant mortality (pre-term birth, congenital anomalies and sudden unexplained death in infancy) as well as generic health interventions.
	
		
			  Live births and infant deaths by gestational age at birth: babies born in England and Wales, 2005 
			   Births (number)  Deaths (number)  Rates per 1,000 live births (percentage) 
			  Gestational age (weeks)  Live births  Under 7 days  Between 7 and 28 days  28 days and over but under 1 year  Deaths under 1 year  Under 7 days  Between 7 and 28 days  28 days and over but under one year  Deaths under 1 year 
			 All 645,887 1,695 544 961 3,200 2.6 0.8 1.5 5.0 
			   
			 22 152 140 3 1 144 921.1 19.7 6.6 947.4 
			 23 283 198 34 7 239 699.6 120.1 24.7 844.5 
			 24 474 168 65 43 276 354.4 137.1 90.7 582.3 
			 25 499 95 43 38 176 190.4 86.2 76.2 352.7 
		
	
	
		
			  Stillbirths by gestational age at birth: England and Wales, 2005 
			  Gestational age (weeks)  Number 
			 24 291 
			 25 230 
			  Notes: 1. The tables show figures for gestational ages 22 to 25 weeks for live births, deaths under seven days of age, deaths between seven and 28 days old, deaths at 28 days and over but under one year and deaths under one year old for babies born in 2005 in England and Wales (the latest year for which figures are available). Data are not available by gestational age at birth on survival beyond one year. 2. The tables includes figures for stillbirths at gestational ages 24 and 25 weeks as a stillbirth is defined as a baby born dead after 24 completed weeks gestation.  Source: Office for National Statistics

Departmental Official Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total cost was of overnight accommodation for  (a) civil servants,  (b) special advisers and  (c) Ministers in his Department staying overnight in (i) mainland Great Britain, (ii) Northern Ireland, (iii) the Republic of Ireland and (iv) other countries in the last 12 months.

Ben Bradshaw: We do not record the costs of overnight accommodation separately for Ministers, civil servants and special advisers, as this is not a requirement of our statutory reporting. Neither do we record this information by country of destination. To collect the information requested would incur disproportionate costs.
	Details of the cost of overseas travel for Cabinet Ministers, including the cost of travel and accommodation are contained in the Overseas Travel by Cabinet Ministers list. The latest list for the period 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2007 was published on 25 July 2007 and is available at:
	www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/upload/assets/www.cabinet office.gov.uk/propriety_and_ethics/ministerial_gifts_0607.pdf
	Details for the 2007-08 financial year will be published as soon as possible after the end of the financial year.
	All ministerial travel is made in accordance with the Ministerial Code. Travel for staff and special advisers is made in accordance with the Civil Service Management Code.

Departmental Orders and Regulation

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many regulations have been  (a) introduced and  (b) removed by his Department since 1997.

Ben Bradshaw: The number of Statutory Instruments (SIs) made since 1997 is shown as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 1997 118 
			 1998 180 
			 1999 177 
			 2000 214 
			 2001 402 
			 2002 389 
			 2003 189 
			 2004 162 
			 2005 139 
			 2006 135 
			 2007 100 
		
	
	The number of SIs revoked in 1997 was 25, plus part of one other. The number of SIs revoked in previous years could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 19 February 2008,  Official Report, column 666W, on departmental public expenditure, how many doses of each of the vaccines listed were distributed in 2006-07; and what the shelf life of each such vaccine is.

Dawn Primarolo: The quantities of vaccines distributed in the UK in 2006-07 were:
	Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG) vaccine—1,359,400 doses were distributed for the targeted BCG vaccination programme;
	measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine—1,732,356 doses of MMR vaccine licensed for use in the United Kingdom were distributed. No doses of the MMR vaccine in non-UK presentation were distributed;
	combined diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTaP) vaccine—none (as this vaccine was no longer used in the childhood vaccination programme);
	diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, haemophilus influenzae type B, (DTwP/Hib) vaccine—none (as this vaccine was no longer used in the childhood vaccination programme);
	tetanus and diphtheria (Td) vaccine—24,155 doses. Although the Td vaccine was also no longer part of the programme, there remained a demand from private customers, for example as a travel vaccine;
	pneumococcal conjugate vaccine—2,362,500 doses;
	diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, inactivated polio and haemophilus influenzae type B, (DTaP/IPV+Hib) vaccine—2,311,496 doses; and
	meningococcal C vaccine—1,932,928 doses.
	The shelf life varies for different vaccine types, brands and batches of vaccines. Generally the shelf life of BCG vaccine is 12 months. The other vaccines have a shelf life of between 18 months to three years.

Dietary Supplements

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 20 February 2008,  Official Report, column 804W, on dietary supplements, how many nutritional support products were dispensed in the community in each year since 1997, broken down by primary care trust area; and what estimate he has made of the number of individual patients who required nutritional support items in the community in the last year for which figures are available.

Dawn Primarolo: Information on the number of nutritional support products dispensed in the community by primary care trust from 2003 to 2006 has been placed in the Library. Data for earlier years are not available. The Department has made no estimate of the number of individual patients requiring such items.

Doctors: Torbay

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many junior doctors were registered in Torbay constituency in the latest period for which figures are available.

Ann Keen: This information is not held in the format requested. Information is held for national health service organisations.
	There are no doctors in training and equivalents within Torbay Care Trust. However, the following table shows doctors in training and equivalents by grade within South Devon Health Care NHS Trust. The latest available data are for September 2006.
	
		
			  Hospital and community health services: medical and dental doctors in training and equivalents within South Devon Health Care NHS Trust (as at 30 September 2006) 
			   Number 
			 Doctors in training and equivalents 173 
			 Registrar Group 52 
			 Senior House Officer 68 
			 Foundation Year 2 27 
			 House Officer and Foundation Year 1 26 
			  Notes:  1. Junior doctors are now referred to as doctors in training and equivalents.  2. Doctors in training and equivalents is the term used to refer to people in the registrar group, senior house officers and other staff in equivalent grades who are not in an educationally approved post.  3. All doctors are registered doctors. The doctors within foundation year 2, senior house officer and the reegistrar group have full registration status. Some house officer and foundation 1 year staff will have a full registration, although the majority of these staff will have provisional registration status.   Source:  The Information Centre for health and social care Medical and Dental Workforce Census.

Drugs: Rehabilitation

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money has been spent on cannabis cessation services in each primary care trust in each of the last five years; how much has been allocated for 2008-09; and whether he has plans to integrate such services with smoking cessation services.

Dawn Primarolo: Since 2001, the Department and the Home Office have provided specific resources for drug treatment in the form of the pooled drug treatment budget. This funding is allocated to the 149 drug action teams across the country to use, along with local mainstream funding, to provide for treatment and services according to the specific needs of each locality. We do not hold information on how much of this funding was spent on treatment and services for cannabis.
	There are no plans to integrate cannabis cessation services within national health service stop smoking services.

Fertility: Health Services

Chris McCafferty: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to  (a) monitor and  (b) encourage the implementation of National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines on the assessment and treatment of people with fertility problems; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department has recently carried out a survey of in vitro fertilisation provision and will publish the results in due course.
	We are working with the patient support organisation Infertility Network UK to help primary care trusts (PCTs) share best practice in the provision of fertility services and move to the implementation of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence recommendations. To build on the progress being made we are establishing an expert group to advise the project and consider how to help PCT commissioners.
	The Department will be monitoring IVF provision across the national health service on an on-going basis to see where further assistance may be needed.

General Practitioners: Manpower

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) general practitioners and  (b) NHS dentists there were per head of population in (i) England and (ii) Torbay constituency in each year since 1997.

Ann Keen: Information about general practitioners is not available at constituency level but is shown for Torbay primary care trust (PCT) which was formed in 2001. Prior to this the national health service was structured in health authorities which covered much larger areas than current PCTs.
	
		
			  General medical practitioners (excluding retainers and registrars)( 1)  per 100,000 population by selected area in England, 2001 to 2006 
			  Numbers (headcount) 
			   2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			  England   
			 GPs (excluding retainers and registrars)(1) 28,802 29,202 30,358 31,523 32,738 33,091 
			 GPs per 100,000 population 58.2 58.8 60.9 62.9 64.9 65.3 
			
			  Torbay PCT   
			 GPs (excluding retainers and registrars)(1) 90 89 90 96 98 101 
			 GPs per 100,000 population 69.2 68.1 68.3 72.5 73.8 76.1 
			 (1 )General medical practitioners (excluding retainers and registrars) includes GP providers and GP others.  Note: Data as at 30 September 2001 to 2006.  Sources: ONS Resident Estimates 2001 based The Information Centre for health and social care General and Personal Medical Services Statistics 
		
	
	The information requested about NHS dentists is not available at constituency level.
	Numbers of persons per NHS dentist in England as at 31 March, 1997 to 2006 are available in Annex F of the "NHS Dental Activity and Workforce Report, England: 31 March 2006". Information is provided by PCT and by strategic health authority (SHA).
	This information is based on the old contractual arrangements, which were in place up to and including 31 March 2006. This report (published 23 August 2006) is available in the Library and is also available at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/primary-care/dentistry/nhs-dental-activity-and-workforce-report-england-31-march-2006.
	Numbers of NHS dentists per 100,000 population in England as at 30 June 2006, 30 September 2006, 31 December 2006, and 31 March 2007 are available in Table E1 of Annex 3 of the "NHS Dental Statistics for England: 2006-07" report. Information is provided by PCT and SHA.
	This information is based on the new dental contractual arrangements, introduced on 1 April 2006. This report (published 23 August 2007) is available in the Library and is also available at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dental0607.

Genito-Urinary Medicine

Christopher Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure prostate assessment clinics are provided by urology departments of district general hospitals.

Ann Keen: In 2002, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published "Improving Outcomes in Urological Cancers".
	This guidance sets out recommendations on how services for patients with urological cancers, including prostate cancer, should be organised in order to ensure the best outcomes. In particular, the guidance recommends that prostate assessment clinics should be provided by urology departments of district general hospitals.
	Strategic health authorities have submitted action plans to demonstrate how they will implement this guidance. The Department and the Healthcare Commission monitor progress against these plans.

Genito-Urinary Medicine: Waiting Lists

Christopher Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the  (a) median and  (b) mean waiting times for patients (i) waiting for a first outpatient attendance and (ii) waiting to see a consultant urologist for a first outpatient attendance were based on (A) Korner and (B) hospital episodes statistics data in each year since 1997-98.

Ann Keen: The figures are shown in the following tables.
	Out-patient mean and medians in weeks from 1998.
	Waiting time from general practitioner referral to first out-patient appointment where the patient was seen during the quarter.
	
		
			  All specialties 
			   Korner aggregate returns  Hospital Episode Statistics 
			  Year ending  Median  Mean  Median  Mean 
			 March 1998 6.4 9.2 n/a n/a 
			 March 1999 6.9 10.0 n/a n/a 
			 March 2000 7.4 11.1 n/a n/a 
			 March 2001 7.4 10.8 n/a n/a 
			 March 2002 7.3 10.4 n/a n/a 
			 March 2003 7.2 8.7 n/a n/a 
			 March 2004 7.0 7.9 n/a n/a 
			 March 2005 7.0 7.5 6.9 7.8 
			 March 2006 6.5 7.0 7.0 8.3 
			 March 2007 5.6 6.0 n/a n/a 
			 September 2007 5.0 5.2 n/a n/a 
		
	
	
		
			  Urology specialty 
			   Korner aggregate returns  Hospital Episode Statistics 
			  Year ending  Median  Mean  Median  Mean 
			 March 1998 7.2 9.3 n/a n/a 
			 March 1999 7.6 10.0 n/a n/a 
			 March 2000 8.3 11.5 n/a n/a 
			 March 2001 8.0 11.0 n/a n/a 
			 March 2002 7.7 10.8 n/a n/a 
			 March 2003 7.4 8.9 n/a n/a 
			 March 2004 7.0 7.9 n/a n/a 
			 March 2005 7.0 7.5 6.6 7.3 
			 March 2006 6.5 6.9 6.7 7.7 
			 March 2007 5.5 5.9 n/a n/a 
			 September 2007 4.9 5.2 n/a n/a 
			 n/a denotes not available.   Sources:  1. Hospital Episode Statistics; Outpatients, The Information Centre for Health and social care provider based).  2. Korner returns: QM08R quarterly return from primary care trusts (commissioner based).

Heart Diseases: Medical Treatments

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many percutaneous coronary interventions took place in the NHS using a bare metal stent in  (a) England and  (b) each NHS strategic health authority in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many percutaneous coronary interventions took place in the NHS using a drug eluting stent in  (a) England and  (b) each NHS strategic health authority in each of the last five years.

Ann Keen: The information requested is not available in the format because of variations in the operational procedure codes that Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) use to collect their data.. Any data shown for other parts of the United Kingdom represent patients resident in those areas but treated in England.
	Such information as is available has been placed in the Library.

Hospices: Finance

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding he provided to hospices for the provision of medicines for people in receipt of end-of-life care in 2006-07.

Dawn Primarolo: This information is not held centrally. Funding for hospices to provide medicines for people in receipt of end-of-life care is included in primary care trusts' unified allocations. Hospices should be reimbursed the full agreed pharmacy costs including costs incurred for medicines to be supplied, dressings, appliances and chemical reagents listed in part IX of the Drug Tariff and associated professional costs for treating patients for whom the hospices have clinical responsibility through contractual arrangements.

Hospitals: Fire Hazards

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the combustibility of plastic foam composite panels used in the building of hospitals.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department publishes guidance on fire safety for the national health service in England in the 'Firecode' suite of documents. This requires that all NHS organisations in England comply with legislation relating to fire safety. 'Firecode' is cited as best practice in the Building Regulations 2000 (Approved document B Volume 2 Buildings other than dwelling houses 2006).
	The particular volume of 'Firecode' guidance dealing with composite panels, Health Technical Memorandum (HTM) 05-02 'Guidance in support of functional provisions for healthcare premises' suggests that in order to identify an appropriate selection of composite panels, a risk assessment approach should be adopted. It also states that
	"panel in-fill material...should not compromise the safety of the occupants remaining in the building...wherever possible cladding with a non-combustible core should be used."
	A copy of HTM 05-02 has been placed in the Library.
	HTM 05-02 gives examples of areas where mineral fibre in-fill (inherently non-combustible) panels may be appropriate and states that the use of composite panels in other circumstances should be the subject of a risk assessment where other appropriate fire precautions have been put in place.
	Hospitals are designed on the principles of progressive horizontal evacuation in the event of a fire. The guidance about the use of composite panels in hospital construction reflects the more rigorous fire safety requirements that are needed in premises where occupants are not always able immediately to vacate a building.

Infectious Diseases: Disease Control

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to reduce the spread of health care associated infections in the community.

Ann Keen: Health care associated infections (HCAIs) are infections acquired in hospitals or as a result of health care interventions. "Clean, Safe Care" is a comprehensive strategy to tackle HCAIs and improve cleanliness, published on 9 January 2008. The strategy draws together recent HCAI initiatives and details new areas that national health service organisations need to consider when developing local plans to tackle infections and improve cleanliness. It emphasises the importance of a whole health economy approach as infection control strategies are only going to be successful if all parts of the NHS work closely together with the shared aim of reducing infection. The Department's improvement team is supporting primary care trusts (PCTs), as well as acute trusts, in developing a whole systems approach to the reduction in HCAIs. Our approach to setting the latest public service agreement target for  Clostridium difficile supports this whole health economy approach, as local targets will be set at PCTs level as a rate per 10,000 population.
	The Department has produced a focused programme to support the NHS and the independent sector in tackling HCAIs in non-acute settings, including care homes and hospices. "Essential steps to safe, clean care" was launched in June 2006 and revised and re-launched in June 2007. It includes a strategy for local health economies and tools and guidance on areas such as movement of patients between organisations, managing methicillin-resistant  Staphylococcus aureus in the non-acute setting, preventing the spread of infection, urinary catheter care and enteral feeding. We have disseminated this guidance widely and will continue to revise and update the guidance in line with emerging best practice.
	Other initiatives include:
	the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) piloting the extension of the clean your hands campaign into primary and community care;
	the NPSA published "The National Specifications for Cleanliness in the NHS" for hospitals in 2007 and is currently in the process of producing national specifications for a variety of other health care settings such as general practitioner surgeries, health centres and clinics, and ambulances. The document is due to be launched in summer 2008;
	benchmarks for the care environment concerns the environment within which the care of patients takes place. It is intended for all staff groups caring for patients across all organisations and settings, including patients' homes. It includes benchmarks for best practice for a clean environment, and for in infection control;
	as part of the £270 million comprehensive spending review investment into tackling HCAIs and improving cleanliness, £45 million was identified for investment in additional staff. It is for local organisations to decide the best investment to meet their needs, but this level of funding could, for example, deliver additional infection control nurses in every community in addition to specialist staff in acute trusts; and
	proposals in the Health and Social Care Bill mean that the "Code of Practice for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections" is expected to apply to care homes and non-NHS providers in the future.

Medical Equipment: Cleaning Services

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has provided to professionals who decontaminate medical equipment in the NHS.

Ann Keen: The Department's guidance on the decontamination of medical equipment in the national health service is set out in "Health Technical Memorandum 01-01: Decontamination of reusable medical devices Part A: Management and environment" published in 2007 and "A guide to the decontamination of reusable surgical instruments" published in 2003. Copies of both documents have been placed in the Library.
	The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has a regulatory responsibility for the Medical Devices Regulations 2002 which control the reprocessing and re-use of medical devices CE marked for that status.
	The condition of surgical instruments for re-use is defined in BS EN ISO 13485:2003 which is described in executive letter EL(98) 05. A copy of this letter has been placed in the Library.
	The Department has an advisory committee in this area in the form of the Engineering and Science Advisory Committee (ESAC-PR) into the decontamination of surgical instruments, including prion removal. It has also worked with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) on decontamination. Both of these bodies have taken a special interest in the deactivation of prion infectivity on surgical instruments. The NICE guidance (November 2006) is available on NICE'S website at: www.nice.org.uk/guidance/index.jsp?action=byID&o=11332 and the ESAC-Pr 2006 annual report is available on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_072443.

Medical Equipment: Cleaning Services

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with the Institute of Decontamination Sciences on the practical application of decontamination sciences in health and social care services; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: Departmental officials have regular contact with the Institute for Decontamination Sciences (IDSc). For example, the IDSc is represented on our advisory committee, the Engineering and Science Advisory Committee into the decontamination of surgical instruments including prion removal.

NHS

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish a breakdown of the  (a) costs to date and  (b) estimated final costs of the NHS next stage review.

Ann Keen: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave to the hon. Member for Cities of London and Westminster (Mr. Field) on 4 March 2008,  Official Report, column 2379W.

NHS: Drugs

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  by what mechanism he claws back excess payments to pharmacy contractors in respect of category M dispensing of medicines; and how much was clawed back in  (a) 2005-06,  (b) 2006-07 and  (c) each quarter of 2007-08;
	(2)  when he expects to answer Question 192654, tabled on 4 March for answer on 6 March.

Dawn Primarolo: Since the introduction of the community pharmacy contractual framework in April 2005, the Department has undertaken a number of surveys of a stratified sample of invoices and statements of a sample of independent contractors. As a result of these surveys, the reimbursement prices of medicines paid to contractors are adjusted against the price levels that prevailed in March 2005—immediately prior to the implementation of the new framework.
	In addition, adjustments are also made to reimbursement prices to take account of the reduction in market prices that usually occurs in the months after the introduction of a generic medicine following patent expiry of an in-patent medicine.
	In the period 1 April 2005 to 30 September 2007 the target reduction in category M medicines expenditure was £1.05 billion by reference to March 2005 prices. The reduction calculated on that basis was £1.089 billion with the difference being balanced against an adjustment to practice fees payable by primary care trusts.
	To include medicines joining category M since April 2005, the planned, further reduction of £100 million per quarter from 1 October 2007 was implemented by reference to July 2007 prices. A reduction of £96.9 million was achieved on this basis for the period 1 October 2007 to 31 December 2007—the last quarter for which data are available.
	A survey for the period April 2007 to 2008 is currently in hand.
	These reductions are summarised in the following table:
	
		
			  £ million 
			  Period  Actual cost  Cost at March 2005 prices  Cost at July 2007 prices  Reduction 
			 April 2005 to March 2006 1,087.7 1,412.1 0 324.4 
			 April 2006 to March 2007 1,326.8 1,797.8 0 471.0 
			 April to June 2007 378.1 494.7 0 116.6 
			 July to September 2007 327.0 504.1 0 177.1 
			 October to December 2007 261.9 0 358.8 96.9

NHS: Finance

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much NHS funding has been allocated to  (a) Jarrow constituency,  (b) South Tyneside,  (c) the North East and  (d) England in each year since 1997.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department makes revenue allocations to primary care trusts (PCTs) and not to constituencies. PCT revenue allocations were first made in 2003-04, prior to this, funding was allocated to health authorities.
	The revenue allocations made to South Tyneside PCT, to the PCTs in the North East Strategic Health Authority (SHA) area and the England figures for the period 2003-04 to 2008-09 are provided in the following table.
	
		
			   Allocation 
			   2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			  £000 
			 South Tyneside PCT 158,322 173,831 189,955 222,991 243,791 257,106 
			 North East SHA 2,516,147 2,756,923 3,009,557 3,588,123 3,920,663 4,134,810 
			 England 45,027,181 49,328,244 53,924,975 64,309,595 70,354,697 74,197,470 
		
	
	The revenue allocations made to Gateshead and South Tyneside health authority and the total England figures for the years 1996-97 to 2002-03 are provided in the following table.
	
		
			   Allocation 
			   1996-97  1997-98  1998-99  1999- 20 00  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03 
			  £000 
			 Gateshead and South Tyneside HA 170,856 178,359 187,624 255,537 278,161 300,845 332,463 
			 England 20,886,002 21,816,441 22,895,307 31,192,915 34,234,888 37,157,382 41,468,469 
			  Notes: Comparisons between allocation rounds cannot be made for the following reasons: Revenue allocations were made to health authorities for the period 1996-97 to 2002-03; Changes are made to the weighted capitation formula for each allocations round, therefore, comparisons would not be on a like-for-like basis; 2003-06 revenue allocations were made direct to PCTs, for the first time, and were on a three yearly basis; and 2006-08 is the first year that primary medical services were incorporated into revenue allocations.

NHS: ICT

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effect on the timetable of the NHS IT programme of the buy out of iSoft by IBA Healthcare.

Ben Bradshaw: The purchase of iSoft by IBA has not adversely impacted on the delivery time scales for the Lorenzo solution to the national health service. Computer Sciences Corporation, the local service provider are responsible for the management of their sub-contractors, and the delivering of the NHS Care Record Service solution in accordance with their contractual obligations. There have been no timetable changes attributable to the transfer of ownership from iSoft to IBA.

NHS: Internet

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the purpose of the NHS Choices website is; how many pages of content are currently available on the NHS Choices website; and how many unique visitors to the NHS Choices website there were in each month between June 2007 and February 2008.

Ben Bradshaw: NHS Choices is the national health service's online service for the public—the digital wing of the NHS. It is a response to the 21st century challenges of achieving better health and delivering high quality personalised services for all, amid ever-increasing demands on a resource-constrained NHS.
	As the online service for all communication with citizens on health, it has been designed specifically with the consumer in mind. The information on NHS Choices is all NHS accredited and written in plain English. It is accompanied by videos, user comments and a growing range of interactive tools which allow users to test and monitor their health and well-being. The information held on NHS Choices is designed so that general practitioners and others can print it off for people who don't have internet access.
	There are in the region of 100,000 pages of content available on NHS Choices.
	The total unique visitors to the NHS Choices website by month are as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 June 2007 (1)— 
			 July 2007 778,124 
			 August 2007 811,947 
			 September 2007 728,415 
			 October 2007 885,071 
			 November 2007 898,502 
			 December 2007 653,236 
			 January 2008 1,037,423 
			 February 2008 1,090,331 
			 (1) Not complete—service went live mid-June 2007.

NHS: Manpower

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what expenditure on non-NHS staff was  (a) in total and  (b) broken down by each NHS organisation in each year since 1997-98; and what proportion of the NHS pay bill this represented in each case.

Ann Keen: The information requested has been placed in the Library. Data by organisation are shown for 2000-01 onwards.

NHS: Medical Treatments

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department plans to issue guidance to the NHS on the provision of information to patients on treatments not available on the NHS.

Ann Keen: The Department is considering the implementation of an information accreditation scheme. The scheme would be open to all producers of health and social care information including information on conditions and treatments, some of which might not be available on the national health service. Membership of the scheme would be based on compliance with a nationally developed standard for information production. This would help information producers improve the quality of information available to people and an associated quality mark would help information users to identify reliable sources of information.

Nurses: Schools

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the ratio of fully-qualified school nurses to the number of schools was in England in each year since 1997-98 for which figures are available.

Ann Keen: The Public Health White Paper, "Choosing Health: Making healthy choices easier", published in November 2004, includes the commitment to provide new funding so that by 2010 every primary care trust, working with children's trusts and local authorities, will be resourced to have at least one full-time, year-round, qualified school nurse working with each cluster or group of primary schools and the related secondary school, taking account of health needs and school populations.
	The annual national health service work force census collected accurate information on the number of school nurses employed by the NHS in England for the first time in 2004. The ratios are shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Headcount  Full-time equivalent 
			   2004  2005  2006  2004  2005  2006 
			 Number of secondary schools in England 3,409 3,385 3,367 3,409 3,385 3,367 
			 School Nursing Service Nurses 2,409 2,887 2,968 1,619 1,913 2,053 
			  Of which:   
			 Nurses with a post registration school nursing qualification 856 943 1,129 607 665 815 
			 Ratio (School Nursing Service Nurses) 0.71 0.85 0.88 0.47 0.57 0.61 
			 Ratio (Nurses with post registration school nursing qualification 0.25 0.28 0.34 0.18 0.20 0.24 
			  Sources: Number of schools from the Department for Children, Schools and Families. The Information Centre for health and social care, Non-Medical Workforce Census, General and Personal Medical Services Statistics.

Palliative Care: Finance

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give guidance to primary care trusts on the proportion of their budgets to be spent on palliative care.

Ivan Lewis: Primary care trusts (PCTs) are responsible within the national health service for commissioning and funding services for their resident population, including end of life care. The NHS operating framework 2007-08 asked PCTs, working with local authorities, to undertake baseline reviews of their end of life care services. The reviews will allow local commissioners to assess current services, identify gaps and obtain a much clearer view of local need, which will inform local commissioning in preparation for implementing the end of life care strategy to be published in summer 2008.

Patient Choice Schemes

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many deployments of the web-based referrer for choose and book have been made, broken down by  (a) local service provider and  (b) practice;
	(2)  how many deployments of the general practitioner system for choose and book have been made, broken down by  (a) local service provider and  (b) practice;
	(3)  how many deployments of patient administration systems for choose and book have been made, broken down by  (a) local service provider and  (b) trust.

Ben Bradshaw: The percentage of general practitioner (GP) practices that are technically live with choose and book is 98 per cent., that is the percentage of practices that have the technical ability to make electronic bookings. GP practices accessing choose and book through an integrated GP system amount to 84 per cent. with many using the web-based referrer as an alternative. The web-based referrer is not deployed to local service providers or practices, but is available to all referring organisations with web access. Out of 169 trusts with patient administration systems (PASs), 144 are technically live with a compliant PAS which represents 85 per cent. of all acute trusts. Figures are not available by local service provider.

Pharmacies: ITC

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many suppliers of IT pharmacy systems there are; and how many have achieved authority to roll out their system.

Ben Bradshaw: There are 11 suppliers of pharmacy systems. These suppliers provide 13 systems to dispensing contractors. Of these, 11 systems have achieved nationwide roll-out approval for Release 1 of the electronic prescription service.
	Of the two remaining systems, one is in the last stages of NHS Connecting for Health compliance and the other is to be withdrawn from the market.

Pharmacy

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many 100 hour pharmacies there were in each primary care trust area in each of the last three years.

Dawn Primarolo: We do not collect data on the number of 100 hour pharmacies in each primary care trust.
	The only data held are for the number of applications relating to pharmaceutical services regulations (2005) under the four new exception categories, one of which is pharmacies intending to open more than 100 hours a week. It is not known how many granted applications resulted in the actual opening of a new 100 hour per week pharmacy.
	Data are available only for 2005-06 and 2006-07 and relate to applications between 1 April and 31 March each financial year. The number of applications outstanding are those outstanding at 31 March each year.
	
		
			  Decisions on applications relating to pharmaceutical services regulations, number and percentage of exempt applications decided by application type, England only, 2005-06 to 2006-07 
			   2005-06  2006-07 
			  Number of applications  Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage 
			 100 Hour Pharmacies(1) 199 100 319 100 
			 Granted 156 78 259 81 
			 Refused 28 14 39 12 
			 Withdrawn 15 8 21 7 
			 Outstanding 72 — 48 — 
			 (1) Figures have been revised from last year's publication. Figures listed in the 2005-06 publication were total number of applications received not the number actually decided upon by primary care trusts. Revised figures exclude those applications which were outstanding at 31 March 2006. It is assumed that these applications were outstanding as no decision had been reached on their final outcome.   Source:  General Pharmaceutical Services in England and Wales 2006-07. This document is available on the Information Centre for health and social care website at: www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/pharmserv0607

Polyclinics: Greater London

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the population of London he estimates will live within  (a) one mile,  (b) three miles and  (c) five miles of a polyclinic.

Ben Bradshaw: No estimate has been made of the percentage of the population of London who will live within one, three and five miles of a polyclinic.
	Proposals for the provision of services are a matter for primary care trusts (PCTs), working in conjunction with their strategic health authority and other stakeholders. The hon. Member may wish to raise this with her local PCT.

Prescriptions

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent estimate he has made of the number of people in England who are unable to take prescribed medicines because of the cost of prescriptions; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  on what date he expects to publish the public consultation on prescription charges in England; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: We have made no such estimate. We agree it is vitally important that people get the medicines they need. That is why we will shortly be consulting on cost neutral changes to prescription charges and exemptions so that the public can contribute their views on any proposals prior to a final decision.

Prescriptions: ICT

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many deployments of the pharmacy system for the electronic prescriptions service have been made, broken down by  (a) local service provider and  (b) practice.

Ben Bradshaw: The local service providers are not contracted to provide pharmacy systems to support the electronic prescription service (EPS). Existing pharmacy systems suppliers have developed systems that support Release 1 of the EPS. The service has been deployed to 8,159 (79 per cent.) pharmacies in England.

Prostate Cancer: Research

Christopher Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding his Department has committed to the  (a) NHS Prostate Cancer and  (b) Prostate Cancer Risk Management programme in each financial year since each programme was initiated; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: It is for primary care trusts (PCTs) working in partnership with their strategic health authorities (SHAs), local cancer services and local stakeholders to provide appropriate services for their local populations, including prostate cancer services. The majority of funding to improve prostate cancer services over recent years has therefore been in PCT allocation baselines.
	Funding on specific national activity is shown in the following table:
	
		
			   Funding (£000) 
			  Programme  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 National Health Service Prostate Cancer Programme — 1,174.5 594.4 128.4 190 180 
			 Prostate Cancer Risk Management Programme 170 168 131 120 117 200 
			  Note:  The majority of funding for the NHS Prostate Cancer Programme in 2003-04 and 2005-06 came from the Modernisation Agency's (MA) Action On Urology project. When the MA closed in 2005, this funding was devolved to SHAs to fund local service improvements. In addition, the Cancer Services Collaborative: Improvement Partnership has been funded by an annual budget of £2.9 million since 2001 to support service improvements, but this budget cannot be broken down by cancer type.

Radiotherapy

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to increase the number of patients who are able to receive proton therapy treatment  (a) at Clatterbridge and  (b) in England; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: The Clatterbridge facility is used to treat a specific class of eye cancers. The number of patients needing therapy for this class of cancers is not increasing. The need for another proton therapy facility in the United Kingdom to treat other types of cancer is under consideration.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to tackle drug resistant gonorrhoea.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department funds the Health Protection Agency to manage the Gonococcal Resistance to Antimicrobials Surveillance Programme (GRASP) which monitors gonococcal resistance and provides the evidence-base for treatment guidelines in the management of gonorrhoea. In 2002, this led to prescribing policy being updated to recommend that gonorrhoea should be treated with third generation cephalosporins, ceftriaxone or cefixime. A copy of the GRASP annual report 2006 has been placed in the Library.

Smoking: Public Places

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in England have been  (a) charged with and  (b) convicted of smoking tobacco in a prohibited place since the introduction of the relevant legislation; and what range of sentences has been imposed.

Dawn Primarolo: Details on smokefree legislation enforcement activity are collected from local authorities and routinely published by the Department on the Smokefree England website at www.smokefreeeng land.co.uk. The latest smokefree legislation compliance report covers the first six months of the new law being in effect, and has been placed in the Library.
	Penalties for smokefree offences are set out in the Smoke-free (Penalties and Discounted Amounts) Regulations 2007.

Sunbeds

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent discussions he has had with representatives of coin-operated sunbed companies on their operation;
	(2)  which organisations he has consulted on tanning salon regulation in the last 12 months.

Dawn Primarolo: The former Minister of State (Caroline Flint) met representatives from Consol Suncenters plc, the leading tanning salon company, on 29 March 2007.
	For organisations consulted on tanning salon regulation I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Swansea, East (Mrs. James), on 20 February 2008,  Official Report, columns 817-18W.

INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS

English Language

Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many people obtained English for Speakers of Other Languages qualifications at level  (a) 1,  (b) 2 and  (c) 3 in London in each of the last 10 years.

Jim Knight: I have been asked to reply.
	The information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Unemployment: Stroud

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many  (a) 16 to 19 year olds and  (b) 20 to 25 year olds in Stroud constituency were registered unemployed in January in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Angela Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 25 March 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question, how many (a) 16-19 year olds (b) 20-25 year olds in Stroud constituency were registered as unemployed in the last five years for which figures are available. (193221)
	ONS compiles statistics for local areas of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA). Table 1, attached, shows the number of people, aged 16-19 and 20-24 resident in the Stroud constituency, claiming JSA in January from 2004 to 2008. We have supplied figures based on the 20-24 age group due to these being the standard group used for JSA figures.
	The latest JSA figures, along with other current and historical labour market indicators for the Stroud Parliamentary Constituency are available on the Nomis Website at:
	https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/reports/lmp/pca/2030043388/report.aspx
	
		
			  Table 1:16 to 19 and 20 to 24 year-olds claiming jobseeker's allowance, resident in Stroud parliamentary constituency for the last five years 
			  January  16 to 19 year-olds level( 1)  20 to 24 year-olds level( 1) 
			 2004 75 145 
			 2005 90 130 
			 2006 110 145 
			 2007 95 100 
			 2008 100 120 
			 (1) Data rounded to nearest 5.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan: Opium

John MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures his Department is taking to reduce poppy production in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Shahid Malik: The Department for International Development's (DFID) livelihoods programme supports the Government of Afghanistan's National Drugs Control Strategy (NDCS). The NDCS aims to reduce poppy cultivation in Afghanistan, acknowledging that sustainable drug elimination takes time. It highlights key priorities where activity is likely to make the greatest impact in the short-term. One of these priorities is strengthening and diversifying legal livelihoods so that farmers and other rural workers are no longer dependent on poppy cultivation. This means tackling key constraints such as access to markets and credit, labour opportunities and training.
	DFID has provided over 100 million over the last three years to support this aim. The majority of this funding has been channelled through the Government of Afghanistan's own national programmes, including programmes to:
	rehabilitate rural roads, generating employment and improving access to markets (18 million over three years, supporting rehabilitation of over 9,700 km of roads)
	enable communities to implement their development priorities (almost 50 million over six years, supporting over 34,000 projects)
	provide small loans to support licit businesses (40 million over three years to support loans to over 400,000 Afghans)
	DFID also supports research into a range of alternative crops including mint and saffron. Further information on DFID's livelihoods programme and other activities in Afghanistan is available on the DFID website at the following address:
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/countries/asia/afghanistan.asp

Afghanistan: Opium

John MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate his Department has made of the volume of poppy production in Afghanistan in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Shahid Malik: The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) conducts annual surveys of opium cultivation in Afghanistan. The following data are drawn from the UNODC surveys.
	
		
			   Potential total volume of opium production (Metric tonnes)  Estimated opium cultivation (Hectares)  Opium poppy as a percentage of agricultural land 
			 2007 8,200 193,000 4 
			 2006 6,100 165,000 4 
			 2005 4,100 104,000 2 
			 2004 4,200 131,000 3 
			 2003 3,600 80,000 2 
			 2002 3,400 74,000 1 
			 2001 185 8,000 (1) 
			 2000 3,276 82,172 (1) 
			 1999 4,565 91,983 (1) 
			 1998 2,693 64,674 (1) 
			 (1) Data not available.

Burma: Food Supply

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what reports he has received of the adequacy of the harvest in Chin state, Burma; what discussions he has held with the World Food Programme and other humanitarian agencies on the adequacy of food supply in Chin state; what assessment he has made of the risk of famine there; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Food Programme (WFP) and non-governmental organisations have reported on the risk of food shortages in western Burma resulting from rodent infestations. The WFP has sent a mission to Chin state to assess the extent of the problem. The Department for International Development's (DFID) office in Burma is in contact with the UNDP and WFP about what humanitarian response may be required.

HIV Infection

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what representations he has made to his G8 counterparts to ensure that progress towards the G8 target of achieving universal access to HIV prevention, treatment and care services by 2010 will be discussed at  (a) the meeting of G8 development Ministers in April and  (b) the G8 summit in Tokyo in July; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of progress towards the G8 target of universal access to HIV prevention, treatment and care services by 2010; what estimate he has made of the likely cost of reaching this target; what proportion of that cost he expects G8 countries to meet; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of whether the G8 will reach its commitment of  (a) $1.5 billion for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission services and  (b) $1.8 billion for paediatric treatment by 2010; what proportion of these commitments will be met by funding from his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, South (Nigel Griffiths) on 19 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 1183-84W.

United Nations: Equality

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make representations for inclusion of a discussion on gender equality and women's empowerment at the UN High Level Meeting on 25 September 2008.

Gillian Merron: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for International Development has agreed to promote gender equality at the UN High Level Meeting on 25 September 2008 through supporting the Danish Government who are leading on co-ordinating international support for Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 3 (Promote gender equality and empower women) within the MDG Call to Action Campaign. The UK's contribution to the Danish initiative is to co-sponsor an event in Copenhagen in April which will discuss how to put gender equality and women's empowerment at the heart of the MDG Call to Action. The UK will also support Danish efforts to organise a side meeting on the importance of gender equality to the MDGs at the UN High Level Meeting.

TREASURY

Bank Services: Liechtenstein

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been spent from the public purse to obtain information on British clients of Liechtenstein banks.

Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Dr. Cable) on 10 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 115W-16W.

Carbon Emissions: Finance

Lynne Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the proportion of GDP that will be spent in the UK in the 2008-09 financial year on measures to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

Angela Eagle: The Government use a package of policy instruments to reduce emissions. Spending measures are important, but form only one element alongside, for example, regulation, fiscal measures and trading schemes. These stimulate behaviour change and investment both here and outside the UK. The Government do not make an annual estimate of the amount spent in the UK on reducing carbon dioxide emissions, though they do publish annual emissions data.
	However, modelling has been conducted for the Energy White Paper to assess the potential costs to the UK economy from meeting its long-term targets. Analysis for the 2020 target suggests that (under a hypothetical scenario and subject to appropriate caveats) acting unilaterally, UK GDP will be lower by 1.7 per cent. in 2020 compared with no action; that acting multilaterally reduces this impact to 1.3 per cent. of UK GDP in 2020; and that achieving a 30 per cent. reduction in carbon emissions would cost 0.6 per cent. of GDP in 2020 if the UK purchased abatement abroad.
	The Stern review concluded that the costs of reducing emissions to levels that avoid the worst risks of climate change are significant but manageable, whereas delay will be costly and dangerous.

Child Benefit

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much child benefit was paid in respect of children living outside the United Kingdom in each of the last five years.

Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for North Down (Lady Hermon) on 10 March 2008,  Official Report, column 116W.

Council Tax: Valuation

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what success fee was paid to Cole Layer Trumble for its work on the automated valuation model to assist council tax revaluation in England.

Jane Kennedy: Cole Layer Trumble (CLT) supported the development of an automated valuation model (AVM) for the now postponed council tax revaluation in Englandthe largest application of such technology in the world. The fee of 115,000 is equivalent to approximately 3.5 per cent. of accumulated payments under this contract; the making of such payments is in line with procurement best practice.

Council Tax: Valuation

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 19 February 2008,  Official Report, column 613W, on council tax: valuation, if he will place in the Library a copy of the OGC Action Plan mentioned in the minutes of the Valuation Office Agency's Council Tax Revaluation 2007 programme board of 22 November 2005.

Jane Kennedy: This Action Plan, which is now closed, related to the outcomes of an OGC Gateway Review. The disclosure of such reviews is currently the subject of proceedings in the High Court in an unrelated case.

Data Protection

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many security specialists and security assurance and data protection and validation officers were employed by  (a) HM Treasury,  (b) HM Revenue and Customs and  (c) other agencies in each region and county in each year since 2004.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 27 February 2008
	Security, data protection and validation responsibilities are spread over a number of different posts and no central record is maintained.
	HM Treasury, HM Revenue and Customs, and other agencies follow security advice provided by the Cabinet Office. Departmental Security Officers have responsibility for the protective security measures, an area supported by other specialist staff as appropriate. External security consultants are employed when this provides best value for money.

Data Protection

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 27 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1642W, on data protection, when each of the 37 data guardians was appointed; and how long each appointment is for.

Jane Kennedy: HMRC's data guardians were appointed in late 2007. The appointments are not time limited.

Data Protection

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 27 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1642W, on data protection, what the civil service grade of each data guardian is.

Jane Kennedy: The role of each data guardian varies according to the size of the relevant business unit and the amount and type of data that it processes.
	Of HMRC's 37 data guardians, 21 are SCS 1, 8 are Grade 6, and 8 are Grade 7.

Data Protection

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 27 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1642W, on data protection, where each of the data guardians not in Tyne and Wear or London are based.

Jane Kennedy: Of the 11 HMRC data guardians not based in either Tyne and Wear or London, four are based in Manchester, four based in Nottingham and one each in Worthing, Telford and Preston.

Departmental Labour Turnover

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 27 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1636W, on departmental labour turnover, how many civil servants voluntarily ceased employment, excluding redundancies, within his Department  (a) since 1 July 2007,  (b) between 1 November 2006 and 31 June 2007 and  (c) in each month between October 2006 and the most recent month for which figures are available.

Angela Eagle: The number of HM Treasury employees who left employment due to resignation is as follows:
	 (a) for the period 1 July 2007 to 29 February 2008: 83.
	 (b) between 1 November 2006 and 30 June 2007: 53.
	 (c) in each month between 1 October 2006 and 29 February 2008:
	
		
			   Number 
			  2006  
			 October 6 
			 November 4 
			 December 5 
			   
			  2007  
			 January 5 
			 February 3 
			 March 9 
			 April 9 
			 May 9 
			 June 9 
			 July 10 
			 August 18 
			 September 17 
			 October 9 
			 November 7 
			 December 7 
			   
			  2008  
			 January 7 
			 February 8

Departmental Pay

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 27 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1638W, on departmental pay, how many civil servants in his Department were in receipt of the  (a) normal maximum and  (b) high performance maximum in each pay range in each year since 1997.

Angela Eagle: To provide the information from 1997 to 2006 would be at a disproportionate cost.
	The numbers as at 1 November 2007 are in the following table:
	
		
			  Range  Staff in receipt of normal maximum  Staff in receipt of high performance maximum 
			 B 18 12 
			 C 23 11 
			 D 37 4 
			 E 23 14 
			 B(Nat) 0 1 
			 C(Nat) 1 1 
			 D(Nat) 2 0 
			 E(Nat) 0 1

Departmental Sustainable Development

Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when his Department plans to publish its sustainable operations policy statement.

Angela Eagle: HM Treasury published the sustainable development report and action plan in August 2007. This is updated regularly as appropriate and is available on the HM Treasury website.

Excise Duties: Alcoholic Drinks

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the likely change in the number of individuals consuming alcohol, and the quantity of alcohol consumed, as a result of the alcohol duties announced in the 2008 Budget; and what effect this had on his revenue assumptions for  (a) 2008-09,  (b) 2009-10 and  (c) 2010-11.

Angela Eagle: No estimate has been made of the change in the number of individuals consuming alcohol as a result of the alcohol duty changes announced in the 2008 Budget. The difference against the underlying trend in total pure alcohol consumption in each year is estimated to be  (a) 1.6 per cent.,  (b) 2.6 per cent. and  (c) 3.5 per cent. The revenue effects, including behavioural effects, are set out in table 1.2 of the FSBR.

Excise Duties: Fuels

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on the differential between tax rates for petrol and liquefied petroleum gas; and what the duty charged on each fuel was in each of the last five years.

Angela Eagle: At pre-Budget report 2003 it was announced that the environmental benefits of LPG no longer justified the level of duty differential that it received, and that the Government would gradually increase the duty rate, setting differentials on a path towards a level commensurate with the fuel's environmental benefits.
	Historical LPG duty rates appear in the UK Trade Information hydrocarbon oils bulletin, available at:
	www.uktradeinfo.com
	The duty rate for LPG was 9p per kilogram from 2001 until December 2006, when it rose to 12.21p per kilogram, as main road fuel duties were increased in line with inflation. It was then increased to 16.49p per kilogram on 1 October 2007, when main road fuel duties rose by 2p per litre.
	Consistent with the Government's commitment to give three-year certainty on duty differentials for alternative fuels, Budget 2008 announced that differential tax rate for LPG until 2010. The differential will decrease by 1p per litre when main fuel duty rates change on each of 1 October 2008, 1 April 2009 and 1 April 2010.

Excise Duties: Fuels

Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the effect of the postponement of an inflation-linked fuel duty increase on the cost of travelling by  (a) private car,  (b) bus and  (c) train in 2008-09;
	(2)  if he could estimate what the effect on the real cost of motoring would have been if fuel duty had been increased in line with inflation since 1997.

Angela Eagle: The Government's policy is that fuel duty rates should rise each year at least in line with inflation as the UK seeks to reduce polluting emissions and fund public services. It is estimated that, by April 2008, fuel duty will be about the same in real terms as it was in May 1997. Therefore, fuel duty has not made a substantive impact on the real cost of motoring since 1997.
	Budget 2008 confirmed that main road fuel duty rates will rise by 1.84p per litre on 1 April 2009 and announced that they will also rise by 0.5p per litre above indexation on 1 April 2010. However, consistent with Government's stance of maintaining flexibility in responding to short-term economic conditions, Budget 2008 also announced that the planned 2p per litre increase in fuel duty due to take place on 1 April 2008 would be deferred for six months, until October 2008.
	The impact of this deferral on the cost of travelling by private car will vary depending on the fuel efficiency of the car chosen, and the number of miles driven. The Government have not estimated the impact of a postponement of an inflation-linked fuel duty increase on the cost of travelling by bus or train in 2008.

Excise Duties: Fuels

Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the effect on carbon dioxide emissions of the postponement of the inflation linked fuel duty increase that had been planned for 1 April;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the revenue forgone arising from the decision to postpone the planned fuel duty increase that had been planned for 1 April.

Angela Eagle: The Government's policy is that fuel duty rates should rise each year at least in line with inflation as the UK seeks to reduce polluting emissions and fund public services. Budget 2008 therefore confirmed that main road fuel duty rates will rise by 1.84p per litre on 1 April 2009 and announced that they will also rise by 0.5p per litre above indexation on 1 April 2010.
	However, consistent with Government's stance of maintaining flexibility in responding to short-term economic conditions, Budget 2008 also announced that the planned 2p per litre increase in fuel duty due to take place on 1 April 2008 would be deferred for six months, until October 2008.
	The estimated revenue forgone as a result of this deferral is shown in Table A1 of the Budget document, available on the HM Treasury website.
	It is estimated that the three fuel duty increases announced at Budget 2008for October 2008, April 2009 and April 2010will lead to a reduction of 0.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year by 2010-11. The deferral of the 2008 increase from April to October is expected to lead to an additional 0.1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide being emitted in 2008-09, than would have been, had the increase gone ahead in April. However, there is no impact in subsequent years, as the rate returns to the pre-announced levels.

Excise Duties: Motor Vehicles

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider reducing the excise duty on 4x4 vehicles which use biofuels.

Angela Eagle: The renewable transport fuel obligation (RTFO) takes effect from April this year. The RTFO will require fuel suppliers to ensure that 2.5 per cent. of all fuel they supply is biofuel. This will increase to 3.75 per cent. in 2009-10 and 5 per cent. in 2010-11. This will ensure that biofuels will account for an increased percentage of fuel used across road transport, including 4x4 vehicles. Therefore, there is not a case for a reduced rate of vehicle excise duty for 4x4 vehicles using biofuels.

Fossil Fuel Levy

Adam Ingram: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was transferred to the Consolidated Fund from the England and Wales fossil fuel levy in  (a) 2004-05,  (b) 2005-06,  (c) 2006-07 and  (d) 2007-08; and whether such funds were ring-fenced for the purpose of promoting the use of energy from renewable sources.

Angela Eagle: No amounts have been transferred to the Consolidated Fund from the England and Wales fossil fuel levy since 2004-05.

Income Tax

Michael Meacher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total value is of all the tax reliefs and allowances accruing to those with incomes over  (a) 50,000,  (b) 100,000,  (c) 250,000 and  (d) 500,000 in the latest period for which figures are available; and what the average value of tax reliefs and allowances accruing to persons in those income bands was.

Jane Kennedy: Information on deductions and reliefs and their mean values for various bands of total income can be found in Table T3.8 'Deductions and Reliefs' on the HM Revenue and Customs website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_distribution/menu.htm
	The table is based on the Survey of Personal Incomes of which 2005-06 is the latest year available.

Northern Rock

Harry Cohen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 17 January 2008,  Official Report, column 1431W, on Northern Rock, when he expects the annual report and accounts for 2007 to be published.

Angela Eagle: Northern Rock operates on an arm's length basis from Government as a commercial entity. It publishes its audited reports and accounts on a regular basis in accordance with statutory reporting requirements.
	The publication of audited reports and accounts for 2007 will take place in due course; exactly when is a matter for the Board of Northern Rock.

Northern Rock: Compensation

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out the basis on which compensation may be paid to those people who were shareholders of Northern Rock before the company was nationalised.

Angela Eagle: The Chancellor made clear from 21 January onwards that, if temporary public ownership were pursued, any compensation payable would be assessed by an independent valuer on the basis that:
	the Government should not be required to compensate shareholders or others affected for value which is dependent on taxpayers' support; and the fact that
	public sector ownership would be an alternative to administration for Northern Rock.
	Accordingly, the Banking (Special Provisions) Act 2008 requires that the assumptions to be made in assessing the amount of any compensation payable in relation to a bank whose shares have been taken into public ownership are that all public financial assistance has been withdrawn and none is available in future (apart from the Bank of England's ordinary market assistance, on its usual terms). The Northern Rock plc Compensation Scheme Order 2008 sets out two further valuation assumptions to be made:
	that Northern Rock is unable to continue as a going concern; and that
	it is in administration.

Prices: Food

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect on domestic inequality of above-inflation rises in prices of necessary goods such as food.

Angela Eagle: Real household disposable incomes have risen strongly across the income distribution since 1997, and the previously sharp upward trend in inequality has been arrested.
	Income growth for low-income households will be boosted in 2008-09 by increases in recent Budgets including increases in the child element of child tax credit and the tax credit income threshold. Low-income pensioner households will benefit from increases in the aged personal allowance and pension credit as well as a one-off payment of 50 to over-60s and 100 to over-80s.
	As a result of these measures, households in the poorest fifth of the population will be 160 better off on average in 2008-09, compared with 2007-08, and those with children in the poorest fifth of the population will be 400 better off on average.
	Real household disposable incomes are expected to grow by 1.5 per cent. to 2 per cent. in 2008, rising to 2 per cent. to 2.5 per cent. in 2009. The forecast takes full account of inflation overall, including those particular goods and services where price rises are currently stronger than the average. Changes in purchasing power for individual households will depend on individual spending patterns.

Tax Credits

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 18 March 2008,  Official Report, column 1017W, on tax credits, what the highest possible income is that a family may receive while being eligible for the child care element of the working tax credit; and what child care costs this would involve.

Jane Kennedy: The income at which a family with maximum child care costs could benefit from the child care element depends on the number of children and whether the family claims the disability element for any children or adults in the family.

Taxation: Investment

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the effect on tax revenue of abolishing the distinction between trading and investment activities of open-ended investment companies.

Jane Kennedy: The Government have been considering the issue of the trading and investment boundary as it applies to open-ended investment companies through a joint Investment Management Association, Treasury and HMRC working group to consider the findings of the Investment Management Association/KPMG report on Taxation and the Competitiveness of UK Funds. Discussions are still ongoing. To help clarify the existing boundary, particularly as it applies to derivatives, a statement was issued by HM Revenue and Customs at PBR 2007.

Taxation: Scotland

Adam Ingram: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions have taken place between  (a) his Department and  (b) HM Revenue and Customs and the Scottish Executive on HM Revenue and Customs' role in the collection of local taxes in Scotland.

Yvette Cooper: There have been no discussions between the Treasury, HM Revenue and Customs and the Scottish Executive on an HM Revenue and Customs role in the collection of local taxes in Scotland.

Unemployment: Greater London

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many  (a) unemployed and  (b) economically inactive (i) women and (ii) men there were in each London borough in each year since 2000.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 25 March 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question on how many (a) unemployed and (b) economically inactive (i) women and (ii) men there were in each London borough in each year since 2000. (195848)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles estimates of unemployment and inactivity for local areas for women and men from the annual Labour Force Survey (LFS) and the Annual Population Survey (APS) following International Labour Organisation definitions.
	Tables 1 and 2 attached, show the numbers of people (split by gender) aged 16 and over who were unemployed and resident in each London Borough for the 12 month periods ending February 2001 to February 2004 from the annual LFS, and ending in March for 2005, 2006, and 2007 as well as June 2007 from the APS. The July to June 2007 APS dataset is the most recent for which figures are available, whereas a consistent time series is best provided using March and February data.
	Tables 3 and 4 attached, show the numbers of inactive people (split by gender) of working age, resident in each London Borough, for the 12 month periods ending February 2001 to February 2004 from the annual LFS, and ending in March for 2005, 2006, and 2007 as well as June 2007 from the APS. The July to June 2007 APS dataset is the most recent for which figures are available, whereas a consistent time series is best provided using March and February data.
	These estimates, as with any from sample surveys, are subject to a margin of uncertainty. Changes in the estimates from year to year should be treated with particular caution.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of males aged 16 and over resident in each London borough who were unemployed in each year since 2000 
			  Thousand 
			   For 12 months ending 
			   February  March  June 
			  London borough  2001( 1)  2002( 1)  2003( 1)  2004( 1)  2005( 2)  2006( 2)  2007( 2)  2007( 2) 
			 Barking and Dagenham (3) (3) 4 3 4 4 3 3 
			 Barnet (3) (3) (3) 3 6 7 6 6 
			 Bexley (3) (3) (3) 2 2 3 4 3 
			 Brent 7 8 7 5 8 7 9 9 
			 Bromley (3) (3) (3) 4 4 3 4 4 
			 Camden (3) (3) 5 6 3 4 5 4 
			 City of London (3) (3) (3) (3) (3) (3) (3) (3) 
			 Croydon (3) 6 7 7 5 7 8 9 
			 Ealing 6 7 6 5 5 10 7 8 
			 Enfield (3) 6 (3) 5 3 9 4 3 
			 Greenwich 6 6 5 6 5 6 7 7 
			 Hackney 9 7 6 7 7 7 6 8 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham (3) (3) 5 5 6 5 5 6 
			 Haringey 8 6 6 5 7 4 4 4 
			 Harrow (3) (3) (3) 3 5 5 4 4 
			 Havering (3) (3) (3) 3 2 4 2 2 
			 Hillingdon (3) (3) (3) 3 3 9 5 5 
			 Hounslow (3) (3) (3) 4 6 5 5 5 
			 Islington (3) 4 (3) 4 4 4 5 6 
			 Kensington and Chelsea (3) (3) (3) 4 3 3 3 3 
			 Kingston-upon-Thames (3) (3) (3) 1 3 2 2 1 
			 Lambeth 7 6 10 6 7 6 6 7 
			 Lewisham (3) 8 10 7 6 6 6 6 
			 Merton (3) (3) (3) 4 4 4 5 5 
			 Newham 7 6 8 5 5 5 7 5 
			 Redbridge 6 (3) 5 4 3 4 5 4 
			 Richmond-upon-Thames (3) (3) (3) 3 2 1 2 3 
			 Southwark 8 9 8 9 6 7 7 6 
			 Sutton (3) (3) (3) 2 2 1 2 2 
			 Tower Hamlets 6 7 7 8 7 7 7 8 
			 Waltham Forest (3) (3) (3) 5 6 6 3 4 
			 Wandsworth (3) 6 6 6 3 6 6 4 
			 Westminster, City of 5 4 4 5 4 7 3 4 
			 (1 )Figures provided by the Annual Labour Force Survey (2) Figures provided by the Annual Population Survey (3) These figures are suppressed as statistically unreliable or disclosive  Source: Annual Labour Force Survey and Annual Population Survey 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number of females aged 16 and over resident in each London borough who were unemployed in each year since 2000 
			  Thousand 
			   For 12 months ending 
			   February  March  June 
			  London borough  2001( 1)  2002( 1)  2003( 1)  2004( 1)  2005( 2)  2006( 2)  2007( 2)  2007( 2) 
			 Barking and Dagenham (3) (3) (3) 3 3 2 4 4 
			 Barnet (3) (3) (3) 4 4 5 4 5 
			 Bexley (3) (3) (3) 3 2 2 3 3 
			 Brent (3) (3) 6 4 2 4 5 5 
			 Bromley (3) (3) (3) 4 3 3 3 3 
			 Camden (3) (3) 4 4 3 4 3 3 
			 City of London (3) (3) (3) (3) (3) (3) (3) (3) 
			 Croydon (3) (3) (3) 4 6 6 5 5 
			 Ealing (3) (3) (3) 4 4 6 5 5 
			 Enfield (3) (3) (3) 3 3 5 3 3 
			 Greenwich (3) (3) 4 3 4 3 3 3 
			 Hackney 5 (3) (3) 2 3 3 5 5 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham (3) (3) (3) 2 3 3 4 4 
			 Haringey (3) (3) (3) 2 4 5 4 3 
			 Harrow (3) (3) (3) 6 3 3 5 5 
			 Havering (3) (3) (3) 2 1 4 1 2 
			 Hillingdon (3) (3) (3) 3 2 4 3 2 
			 Hounslow (3) (3) (3) 3 3 5 5 5 
			 Islington (3) 4 (3) 3 3 2 3 3 
			 Kensington and Chelsea (3) (3) (3) 3 1 3 3 3 
			 Kingston-upon-Thames (3) (3) (3) 2 1 4 2 2 
			 Lambeth 7 (3) (3) 6 7 5 6 7 
			 Lewisham (3) (3) (3) 5 5 4 7 6 
			 Merton (3) (3) (3) 5 3 5 2 2 
			 Newham 6 (3) 4 3 4 4 8 8 
			 Redbridge (3) (3) (3) 2 3 2 3 3 
			 Richmond-upon-Thames (3) (3) (3) 1 3 2 2 1 
			 Southwark 6 (3) (3) 8 8 2 4 5 
			 Sutton (3) (3) (3) 2 3 2 4 4 
			 Tower Hamlets (3) (3) 4 3 4 4 5 5 
			 Waltham Forest (3) (3) (3) 3 3 3 3 4 
			 Wandsworth (3) 4 5 3 4 4 6 4 
			 Westminster, City of (3) (3) (3) 3 4 4 3 4 
			 (1 )Figures provided by the Annual Labour Force Survey (2) Figures provided by the Annual Population Survey (3) These figures are suppressed as statistically unreliable or disclosive  Source: Annual Labour Force Survey and Annual Population Survey 
		
	
	continued
	
		
			  Table 3: Number of males of working age resident in each London borough who were economically inactive in each year since 2000 
			  Thousand 
			   For 12 months ending 
			   February  March  June 
			  London borough  2001( 1)  2002( 1)  2003( 1)  2004( 1)  2005( 2)  2006( 2)  2007( 2)  2007( 2) 
			 Barking and Dagenham 13 9 9 10 12 12 10 10 
			 Barnet 13 11 11 18 19 21 20 20 
			 Bexley 11 10 9 11 10 10 10 11 
			 Brent 20 16 20 21 19 15 15 14 
			 Bromley 11 12 13 14 12 13 9 10 
			 Camden 13 13 15 12 19 18 17 17 
			 City of London (3) (3) (3) (3) (3) (3) (3) (3) 
			 Croydon 13 15 12 14 15 16 20 18 
			 Ealing 24 17 23 19 16 21 16 18 
			 Enfield 15 14 15 15 21 15 16 18 
			 Greenwich 8 11 14 13 14 13 13 13 
			 Hackney 18 18 17 17 20 23 19 18 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 10 9 10 8 10 14 12 11 
			 Haringey 15 19 19 25 19 16 16 17 
			 Harrow 7 12 11 13 9 13 12 10 
			 Havering 9 10 7 8 11 10 11 10 
			 Hillingdon 11 9 12 12 12 11 16 15 
			 Hounslow 10 12 15 13 13 9 10 12 
			 Islington 15 12 15 14 14 18 13 13 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 8 10 12 11 15 10 15 14 
			 Kingston-upon-Thames 6 6 7 7 10 11 8 8 
			 Lambeth 17 19 18 17 17 21 16 15 
			 Lewisham 13 17 14 18 12 16 18 18 
			 Merton 10 8 8 6 8 11 9 8 
			 Newham 23 23 24 28 21 21 17 20 
			 Redbridge 16 14 13 13 14 16 15 16 
			 Richmond-upon-Thames (3) 6 6 10 12 11 9 8 
			 Southwark 14 18 22 19 20 18 17 17 
			 Sutton (3) 5 6 8 9 7 7 7 
			 Tower Hamlets 18 18 18 17 19 17 18 18 
			 Waltham Forest 15 15 14 15 14 14 18 16 
			 Wandsworth 12 8 10 11 14 17 16 15 
			 Westminster, City of 13 14 14 15 15 16 21 20 
			 (1) Figures provided by the Annual Labour Force Survey (2) Figures provided by the Annual Population Survey (3) These figures are suppressed as statistically unreliable or disclosive  Source: Annual Labour Force Survey and Annual Population Survey 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 4: Number of females of working age resident in each London borough who were economically inactive in each year since 2000 
			  Thousand 
			   For 12 months ending 
			   February  March  June 
			  London borough  2001( 1)  2002( 1)  2003( 1)  2004( 1)  2005( 2)  2006( 2)  2007( 2)  2007( 2) 
			 Barking and Dagenham 19 19 18 19 18 19 18 18 
			 Barnet 30 31 31 35 35 28 34 32 
			 Bexley 17 18 18 15 14 14 17 19 
			 Brent 31 29 33 30 31 29 31 29 
			 Bromley 19 22 28 23 18 18 23 22 
			 Camden 24 26 24 22 25 28 25 24 
			 City of London (3) (3) (3) (3) (3) (3) (3) (3) 
			 Croydon 29 26 29 29 25 28 29 25 
			 Ealing 36 36 30 29 33 34 33 36 
			 Enfield 29 31 31 28 30 28 28 32 
			 Greenwich 21 22 25 25 24 22 20 22 
			 Hackney 27 28 28 31 32 33 28 27 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 19 18 19 18 20 17 19 19 
			 Haringey 34 31 26 32 27 25 23 24 
			 Harrow 16 19 20 19 21 19 19 20 
			 Havering 16 16 15 14 17 15 17 16 
			 Hillingdon 22 21 18 24 20 21 24 26 
			 Hounslow 19 18 20 20 21 18 20 19 
			 Islington 25 23 24 21 21 24 21 20 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 19 23 23 21 25 23 27 25 
			 Kingston-upon-Thames 14 12 11 12 12 10 13 13 
			 Lambeth 23 26 26 32 28 33 35 31 
			 Lewisham 24 26 24 22 25 27 22 23 
			 Merton 16 16 13 14 19 18 15 16 
			 Newham 39 38 39 38 41 34 36 35 
			 Redbridge 23 21 23 25 23 28 26 28 
			 Richmond-upon-Thames 11 13 11 17 17 15 14 16 
			 Southwark 33 27 25 23 24 33 31 30 
			 Sutton 10 10 12 15 11 13 14 12 
			 Tower Hamlets 32 30 34 31 32 34 33 34 
			 Waltham Forest 19 22 24 26 27 22 20 21 
			 Wandsworth 19 21 26 25 25 26 25 26 
			 Westminster, City of 23 24 27 28 26 26 27 28 
			 (1) Figures provided by the Annual Labour Force Survey (2) Figures provided by the Annual Population Survey (3) These figures are suppressed as statistically unreliable or disclosive  Source: Annual Labour Force Survey and Annual Population Survey

Valuation Office: Cole Layer Trumble

Bob Neill: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether Cole Layer Trumble/Tyler Technologies are providing advice or support to the Valuation Office Agency.

Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. Pickles) on 8 January 2008,  Official Report, column 507W.

Valuation Office: Documents

Bob Neill: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether data for which the Valuation Office Agency is responsible are  (a) stored and  (b) processed overseas.

Jane Kennedy: The VOA does not process or store information for which it is responsible overseas.

Valuation Office: Pay

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to equalise the pay and conditions of equivalent grades of staff in the Valuation Office Agency and the Rent Service once the organisations have merged.

Jane Kennedy: The Valuation Office Agency and the Rent Service are managing the Transfer of Functions as a joint programme. As part of this, the Valuation Office Agency is undertaking a detailed review of the differences in Terms and Conditions (including pay) between the two organisations to establish a future strategy for aligning these.

Voluntary Work

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 27 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1490W, on voluntary work, what funding his Department has provided for the Volunteers Group in 2007-08.

Angela Eagle: During 2007-08, HM Treasury made provision of resources to support the HM Treasury Volunteers Group in a number of ways, including a flexible budget to support the administration of the group and relevant staff events; a significant proportion of one full-time member of staff; and the provision of extensive special leave allowances to allow all members of HM Treasury staff to take paid special leave to volunteer in the community for the public good.
	The results of this investment have been clear, for example in 2007, HM Treasury won an award for its exceptional support of the School Governor's One Stop Shop (a small, successful charity that recruits volunteers to become governors in schools across England).

Welfare Tax Credits: Fraud

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the number of fraudulent claims for tax credits made in each year since 2003, broken down by the region in which claimants gave addresses.

Jane Kennedy: This information is not held in the format requested. However, I refer the hon. Member to the Child and Working Tax Credit Error and Fraud Statistics available on HMRC's website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/error-fraud.htm
	and to the Comptroller and Auditor General's Standard Report in the 2006-07 HMRC accounts, which is available on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/about/hmrgaccounts2007.htm

Welfare Tax Credits: Fraud

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was obtained from tax credit fraud by  (a) individuals and  (b) criminal gangs who were prosecuted in each year since 2003.

Jane Kennedy: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Welfare Tax Credits: Telephone Services

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average cost per minute of calls made to tax credit hotlines from  (a) mobile telephones and  (b) landlines is; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested cannot be provided as the cost of calls made to the Tax Credits Helpline, and indeed other HMRC Helplines which use 0845 non geographic numbers, is dependent on several factors. Calls are charged to the customer based on the tariff arrangements they have with their service provider, the device they use for the call and the location from which they call.

JUSTICE

Children: Abuse

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people were charged with crimes involving violence against children in each of the last five years; and of those how many  (a) pleaded reasonable chastisement as a defence,  (b) were prosecuted successfully and  (c) were found not guilty.

Maria Eagle: My Department does not hold information on crimes involving violence against children as we do not hold information on victims, unless specified within either the statute or offence description. There is also no specific offence that relates to crimes involving violence against children.
	My Department does not hold data where the defendant has pleaded reasonable chastisement as a defence as this level of detail is not held by the court proceedings database.
	Information on charging is not held by my Department.

Domestic Violence: Staffordshire

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) prosecutions and  (b) convictions there were for offences involving domestic violence in (i) Tamworth constituency and (ii) Staffordshire in each year since 2000.

Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice cannot separately identify domestic violence offences from other offences of assault and violence against the person. As a result no data relating to prosecutions and convictions can be supplied.

Driving Offences: Prosecutions

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many drivers of vehicles carrying scrap metal were prosecuted for  (a) dangerous driving,  (b) careless driving and  (c) causing death by dangerous driving in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Maria Eagle: Breaches of road traffic legislations can be dealt with by written warnings (including formal cautions), fixed penalty notices and court proceedings.
	Information collected centrally and held by my Department on motoring offences does not distinguish between the characteristics of the vehicles involved.

Drugs: Sentencing

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people were  (a) prosecuted,  (b) convicted,  (c) fined and  (d) imprisoned for dealing crystal meth in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Maria Eagle: Data showing the number of defendants proceeded against, found guilty, fined and imprisoned for supplying or offering to supply and having possession with intent to supply amphetamines or class B drugs in England and Wales from 2002 to 2006 are in the following table.
	Prior to 18 January 2007 the possession with intent to supply and the supply of crystal meth Methylamphetamine were included with other class B drug offences. From that date Methylamphetamine was reclassified from a class B drug to a class A drug.
	Data for 2007 will be available in the autumn of 2008.
	
		
			  Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts, found guilty, fined and imprisoned for selected offences( 1)  relating to crystal meth, England and Wales, 2002 to 2006( 2, 3) 
			   Proceeded against  Found guilty  Fined  Immediate custody 
			 2002 594 366 28 174 
			 2003 553 402 19 201 
			 2004 511 421 19 202 
			 2005 461 378 16 180 
			 2006 433 384 5 170 
			 (1) The following offences and statutes have been used: Supplying or offering to supply a controlled drug (or being concerned in): AmphetamineMisuse of Drugs Act 1971 Sec 4(3) [Class 'B' Drug]. Supplying or offering to supply a controlled drug(or being concerned in): Other Class 'B'Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 Sec 4(3) [Class 'B' Drug]. Having possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply: AmphetamineMisuse of Drugs Act 1971 Sec 5(3) [Class 'B' Drug]. Having possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply: Other Class 'B'Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 Sec 5(3) [Class 'B' Drug].  (2) These data are on the principal offence basis.  (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Fatal Accident Injury System

Adam Ingram: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 7 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1433W, on the fatal accident injury system, what progress has been made on discussions between his Department and the Scottish Executive on the operation of the Fatal Accident Inquiry system in Scotland as it applies to armed forces personnel based in Scotland, who are killed in action overseas.

Bridget Prentice: Contacts between the UK Government and the Scottish Executive continue on this sensitive and complex issue. The UK Government are committed to ensuring that the death of every serviceman or woman overseas is subject to an independent inquiry. They are also committed to ensuring that the needs of bereaved service families are attended to sensitively and that where possible families do not have to travel excessive distances to attend inquests, including families based in Scotland.
	My right hon. Friend will have noted the Scottish Executive's announcement on 7 March of a review by Lord Cullen of the overall working of the Fatal Accident Inquiry system which will have a bearing on this issue. In the meantime the UK Government will continue to work with coroners and families to ensure that inquests in England are held in the most appropriate place for those concerned.

Magistrates Courts: Leeds

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 11 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 12-14WS, on Leeds Magistrates' court, how many outstanding cases remain of the 555 defendants whose warrants have been withdrawn by officials at Leeds Magistrates' court; what the status of those cases is; and when he expects all of these cases to be resolved.

Maria Eagle: The warrants of the 555 defendants that were withdrawn still remain outstanding. The withdrawn cases are being reviewed by a multi-agency Criminal Justice System team in Leeds, in accordance with the guidance previously issued by the Office of Criminal Justice Reform (OCJR) for the management of warrants and a view will be taken on which cases need to be brought back before the court, as soon as practicable. A practice direction is also being considered by the senior presiding judge to make the position clear that warrants will only be withdrawn by a properly constituted court in the future.

Magistrates Courts: Leeds

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 11 March 2008,  Official Report, column s 12-14WS, on Leeds Magistrates' court, what the 62 offences were the results of which have been found and verified; and how many serious offences have yet to be found and verified.

Maria Eagle: The following table identifies the 62 offences where the results have been found and verified by the Inspectorate. In all of these cases the result could be found from other court records (e.g. those from the Crown court). Checks continue in relation to all outstanding offences where an adjudication is missing, including 1568 recordable offences.
	
		
			  Offence  Number 
			 Attempted robbery 1 
			 Conspiracy to rob 3 
			 Robbery 13 
			 Conspired to commit armed robbery 1 
			 Attempted murder 1 
			 Murder 1 
			 Assault - racially aggravated 1 
			 Racially aggravated threatening behaviour 3 
			 Racially aggravated threatening and abusive behaviour 1 
			 Buggery 1 
			 Gross Indecency 3 
			 Indecent assault 2 
			 Rape 1 
			 Fail to comply with Sex Offenders Act 2 
			 Concerned in supplying of cocaine 1 
			 Concerned in supplying a class A drug MDMA 1 
			 Conspired to Supply Class A drug 5 
			 Importation of cocaine 1 
			 Possession of cannabis resin with intent to supply 1 
			 Possess cocaine with intent to supply 2 
			 Possession of a class A drug MDMA with intent to supply 1 
			 Possession of a class B drug amphetamine with intent to supply 1 
			 Possession of crack cocaine with intent to supply 1 
			 Possession of heroin with intent to supply 1 
			 Supply crack cocaine 1 
			 Supplying heroin 4 
			 Detained person against their will 1 
			 False imprisonment 1 
			 Unlawful imprisonment 2 
			 Unlawfully took person against their will 1 
			 Arson 1 
			 Attempting to pervert the course of justice 2 
			 Total 62

National Probation Service for England and Wales: Vacancies

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many vacant posts in the Probation Service he expects will not be filled in 2008-09, broken down by grade.

David Hanson: Information is not available to answer this question as staffing requirements are currently being reviewed throughout the Probation Service.
	To date, long-term workforce planning has been conducted in a limited manner within the Probation Service and has largely been undertaken in concert with the annual intake on to the Diploma in Probation Studies (DiPS), which is led by NOMS probation area co-ordination unit. Responsibility for all other recruitment and workforce planning rests with each of the individual probation areas. With the impending decision on the future of the DiPS and the development and implementation of its replacement, the process by which workforce planning will be conducted nationally and locally, is currently being reviewed in order to align it to future arrangements.

National Probation Service for England and Wales: Vacancies

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many vacant posts in the Probation Service were not filled in 2007-08, broken down by grade.

David Hanson: Not all probation areas in the National Probation Service operate a set establishment against which vacant posts can be measured. As a more representative alternative, probation areas are required to report regularly on the number of active vacancies they have. An active vacancy is one which a probation area is actively trying to fill through a recruitment process.
	Information on the number of active vacancies in the NPS is currently only available up to the end of quarter 1 2007-08 (June 2007).
	The following table shows the number of active vacancies there were in each job group at the end of quarters 2 to 4 2006-07 and quarter 1 2007-08. As recruitment is the responsibility of each local area, information is not held nationally on how many of these vacancies were not filled.
	
		
			   2006-07  2007-08 
			  National probation Service  Quarter 2  Quarter 3  Quarter 4  Quarter 1 
			 Deputy Chief Officer 1.00 1.00 1.00 0.00 
			 Assistant Chief Officer 0.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 
			 Area/District Manager 2.50 0.00 2.00 2.00 
			 Middle Manager 32.60 28.80 25.10 20.95 
			 Senior Practitioner 23.33 2.40 10.90 6.70 
			 Probation Officer 92.56 43.97 71.58 87.29 
			 Professional Development Advisor 3.50 0.50 2.00 1.30 
			 Trainee Probation Officer 205.00 80.00 0.00 0.00 
			 Treatment Manager 1. 00 2.00 2.00 3.50 
			 Probation Services Officer 203.15 121.00 163.29 166.93 
			 Psychologist 1.00 0.00 2.00 0.00 
			 Other Operational Staff 41.80 15.22 14.55 11.66 
			 Support StaffAdministration 265.22 73.51 130.59 128.73 
			 Support StaffOther 18.29 16.34 16.77 17.84 
			 Other staff 8.80 3.00 1.20 4.60 
			 Total 899.75 389.74 444.98 453.50 
			 Information on vacancies in the trainee Probation Officer job group was no longer collected from quarter 4 2006-07 onwards as recruitment to the group was to a fixed number.

Prison Accommodation: Dorchester Prison

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many spaces were available in the first night centre at HMP Dorchester on the first Friday of each month for the last 12 months for which figures are available; and how many first night prisoners were received on each of those days.

David Hanson: There are a maximum of 24 spaces on Dorchester's first night centre (C wing). The following table sets out the number of new receptions to the prison and the number of vulnerable prisoners also held on C wing on the first Friday of each month since August 2007 (no records are available prior to that time). It is not possible to state how many spaces remained available though, as this would have been dependent upon the assessed cell-sharing suitability of those prisoners located there, information that is not available.
	
		
			   Number of new receptions  Number prisoners of vulnerable held on C Wing 
			 3 August 2007 5 3 
			 7 September 2007 9 8 
			 5 October 2007 12 1 
			 2 November 2007 10 11 
			 7 December 2007 7 6 
			 4 January 2008 9 4 
			 1 February 2008 10 10 
			 7 March 2008 12 16

Prison Accommodation: Dorchester Prison

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many vulnerable  (a) remand and  (b) convicted prisoners were accommodated at HMP Dorchester on the first Friday of each month for the last 12 months for which figures are available; and how many spaces designated for vulnerable prisoners there were at the prison on each of these dates.

David Hanson: The following table sets out the total number of vulnerable prisoners held at HMP Dorchester on the first Friday of each month since August 2007 (no records are available prior to that time). It is not possible from the available records to differentiate between remand and convicted prisoners. The vulnerable prisoner unit at HMP Dorchester holds a maximum of 24 prisoners, with any overspill being located on the first night centre.
	
		
			   Number of vulnerable prisoners 
			 3 August 2007 27 
			 7 September 2007 32 
			 5 October 2007 25 
			 2 November 2007 35 
			 7 December 2007 30 
			 4 January 2008 28 
			 1 February 2008 34 
			 7 March 2008 40

Prisons: Design

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 30 January 2008,  Official Report, columns 491W, on prisons, if he will publish the design, security and technical specifications and standards produced by the National Offender Management Service relating to the designs of  (a) existing and  (b) new prison places.

David Hanson: The design, security and technical specifications/standards for existing and new prisons are not intended for general publication and it would be impracticable to do so. There are currently over 1,000 standard and design documents of which the vast majority are detailed technical drawings. Furthermore, security could be unnecessarily compromised by general publication. If credible interested parties, including the hon. Member for Harborough, wish to gain access to this documentation, suitable secure and controlled arrangements are already in place to facilitate such requests.

Road Traffic Offences

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many people aged under 18 were prosecuted for offences related to  (a) fatal and  (b) serious road traffic accidents in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many  (a) unlicensed and  (b) unqualified drivers were prosecuted for offences associated with (i) fatal and (ii) serious road traffic accidents in each of the last five years;
	(3)  how many people unqualified to drive were prosecuted for taking and driving away motor vehicles in each of the last five years.

Maria Eagle: Available information held by my Department on the numbers of prosecutions for motoring offences that cause the death of, or cause bodily harm to, a person is provided in the following tables.
	Serious and fatal road traffic collisions may be the result of, or associated with, some other offences, for example careless driving. However the information held centrally does not identify the circumstances of individual cases and in particular whether a fatality or serious injury occurred.
	While the Department for Transport monitors details of road traffic accidents, this information is not linked with details of any subsequent prosecutions.
	
		
			  Table A: Proceedings at magistrates courts by type of offence, and for offenders aged under 18, England and Wales, 2001 - 05 
			  Number of offences 
			  Offence type  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 Causing death by dangerous driving(1) 9 27 21 20 13 
			 Causing death by careless driving when under the influence of drink or drugs(2) 0 1 2 0 0 
			 Causing death by aggravated vehicle taking(3) 6 10 6 7 7 
			 Causing bodily harm by furious driving(4) 9 4 8 9 4 
			 (1) Offences under the RTA 1988 s. 1 as amended by RTA 1991 s. 1 and CJA 1993 s. 67. (2) Offences under the RTA 1988 s. 3A as added by the RTA 1991 s. 3 and amended by CJA 1993 s. 67. (3 )Offences under the Theft Act 1968 s. 12A as added by Aggravated Vehicle Taking Act 1992 s. 1. (4 )Offences against the Person Act 1861 s. 35.  Note: Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table B: Proceedings at magistrates courts by type of offence, all ages, England and Wales, 2001 - 05 
			  Number of offences 
			  Offence type  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 Causing death by dangerous driving(1) 361 320 363 360 360 
			 Causing death by careless driving when under the influence of drink or drugs(2) 66 78 85 68 77 
			 Causing death by aggravated vehicle taking(3) 35 33 24 17 32 
			 Causing bodily harm by furious driving(4) 83 65 56 46 33 
			 (1) Offences under the RTA 1988 s. 1 as amended by RTA 1991 s. 1 and CJA 1993 s. 67. (2) Offences under the RTA 1988 s. 3A as added by the RTA 1991 s. 3 and amended by CJA 1993 s. 67. (3) Offences under the Theft Act 1968 s. 12A as added by Aggravated Vehicle Taking Act 1992 s. 1. (4) Offences against the Person Act 1861 s. 35.  Note:  Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Vandalism: Staffordshire

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) prosecutions and  (b) convictions there were for vandalism in (i) Tamworth constituency and (ii) Staffordshire in each year since 2000.

Maria Eagle: Data showing the number of defendants proceeded against and found guilty of criminal damage, which includes cases involving vandalism, are given in the following table.
	Information is given in the table for Staffordshire police force area. Data are not available at parliamentary constituency level.
	
		
			  Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts of criminal damage( 1)  in Staffordshire police force area( 2) , 2000 to 2006 
			   Proceeded against  Found guilty 
			 2000 1,505 891 
			 2001 1,379 839 
			 2002 1,435 876 
			 2003 1,548 954 
			 2004 1,487 916 
			 2005 1,514 966 
			 2006 1,248 926 
			 (1) Includes indictable offences for criminal damage and summary offences of criminal damage, 5,000 or less, and in addition offences under section 19 the Allotments Act 1922. (2) Staffordshire police force were only able to supply a sample of data for magistrates courts proceedings covering one full week in each quarter for 2000. Estimates based on this sample are included in the figures, as they are considered sufficiently robust at this high level of analysis. (3) These data are on the principal offence basis. (4) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Waste Management: Prosecutions

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice against how many people prosecutions have been brought for having unregistered scrap and salvage yards in each of the last three years.

Maria Eagle: The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for offences in relation to the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 1964, in England and Wales were five in 2004, seven in 2005, and five in 2006. From information held by my Department it is not possible to separately identify prosecutions for separate offences detailed within the Act.
	These data are on the principal offence basis.
	Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.
	Court proceedings data for 2007 will be available in the autumn of 2008.

DEFENCE

Armed Forces: Cadets

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many young people are members of cadet contingents attached to Her Majesty's armed forces in  (a) Kent and  (b) Ashford.

Bob Ainsworth: The information is provided in the following table:
	
		
			   Kent  Ashford 
			 Sea Cadets 593 34 
			 Combined Cadet Force (1)2,596 Nil 
			 Army Cadets 956 76 
			 Air Cadets 1,105 40 
			 (1) From 17 schools

Armed Forces: Drugs

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people in each of the armed forces have been  (a) randomly tested for controlled substances,  (b) tested positive as a result of the test and  (c) discharged as a result of a positive random drug test in each of the last three years, broken down by rank.

Derek Twigg: A complete breakdown by every rank of armed forces personnel randomly tested for controlled substances, those tested positive and those discharged could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The relevant information available is provided in the following tables. Due to the administrative processes involved those who tested positive towards the end of a calendar year might not be discharged until the following year.
	
		
			  Royal Navy 
			   2007  2006  2005 
			 Individuals tested 9,845 11,687 11,617 
			 
			 Number of individuals positive: 39 57 47 
			 Officers/cadets 0 0 1 
			 WO/Senior rates 1 1 0 
			 Junior rates 38 56 46 
			 
			 Total discharged 43 47 39 
		
	
	
		
			  Army 
			   2007  2006  2005 
			 Individuals tested 54,172 69,195 66,197 
			 
			 Number of individuals positive: 677 770 795 
			 Officers/cadets 3 2 1 
			 WO/SNCOs 1 1 1 
			 JNCO/Privates 673 767 793 
			 
			 Total discharged 610 608 573 
		
	
	
		
			  Royal Air Force 
			   2007  2006  2005 
			 Individuals tested 10,505 11,393 11,375 
			 
			 Number of individuals positive: 15 18 21 
			 Officers/cadets 0 0 0 
			 WO/SNCOs 0 0 3 
			 JNCO/Airmen 15 18 18 
			 
			 Total discharged 12 14 20

Armed Forces: Foreigners

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of non-UK nationals who enter the UK to apply to join the armed forces were accepted in each of the last five years.

Bob Ainsworth: The following table shows the number of non-UK nationals who applied to join the UK Regular Forces(1) and the number of non-UK nationals who enlisted(2) in each of the last five years.
	
		
			   Financial Year 
			  Force  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-083 
			  Navy( 4)  
			 Non-UK nationals total applications 260 260 530 480 490 
			 Non-UK nationals enlisted 100 80 100 190 180 
			   
			  Army( 5)  
			 Non-UK nationals total applications 3,310 5,690 5,010 2,850 1,330 
			 Non-UK nationals enlisted 1,550 980 650 800 1,080 
			   
			  RAF( 6)  
			 Non-UK nationals total applications 180 140 100 110 160 
			 Non-UK nationals enlisted 40 30 10 20 20 
			 (1) UK Regular Forces includes nursing services and excludes Full Time Reserve Service personnel, Gurkhas, the Home Service battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment and mobilised reservists. (2) The personnel who enlisted in a given FY did not necessarily apply in that financial year. Applications typically take a number of months to process. (3) Data for the FY 2007-08 are for the period up to 14 March 2008. (4) Navy defines a Ranks applicant as someone from whom they have received a completed application form and who has undertaken a RT test. They define an Officer applicant as someone from whom AIB have accepted an application form. (5) Prior to July 2007 a soldier applicant was an individual who had completed initial eligibility checks and had completed an AFCO form 4. From July 2007 onwards it is someone who has also passed the British Army Recruit Battery (BARB) Test, Interview 1 and 2 and the initial British Army Health Questionnaire (RG8) screening, bringing it in to line with the definition used for Officer applicants (6) RAF defines an applicant as someone from whom they have received a completed application form.  Note: Numbers are rounded to the nearest 10.  Sources: Policy Secretariat Fleet HQ, ARTD and RAF Personnel Secretariat.

Armed Forces: Manpower

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of personnel in each pinch point trade in the armed forces exceeded harmony guidelines in the latest period for which figures are available.

Derek Twigg: The information requested is shown in the following tables:
	
		
			  Royal Navy 
			  Operational pinch point trades  Percentage of current population breaching harmony 
			 Harrier GR7 Instructors None 
			 Harrier GR7 Pilots None 
			 Merlin Pilots None 
			 Merlin Observers None 
			 Merlin Aircrew None 
			 Able Seaman Warfare Specialist (Sensors Submariner) None 
			 Able Seaman Warfare Specialist (Tactical Submariner) None 
			 Strategic Weapons Systems Junior Ra None 
			 Leading Hand Warfare None 
			 Able Seaman Diver None 
			 Royal Marines Other Ranks None 
			 Sea King and Lynx Avionics Supervisor None 
			 Lead Hand Aircraft Controllers None 
			 Petty Officer Mine Warfare None 
			 Nuclear Watchkeepers None 
			  Note:  The figure for separated service reflects the percentage of personnel within that trade that has completed more than 140 days separated service in the last 12 month rolling period. The RN delivers Individual Harmony through a number of micro-managed processes to ensure that the Individual Harmony Guidelines are met. 
		
	
	
		
			  Army 
			  Operational pinch point trades  Percentage of current population breaching harmony 
			 Infantryman Pte-LCpl 10.7 
			 Vehicle Mechanic Pte-Cpl 33.5 
			 Armourer Pte-Cpl 26.9 
			 Recovery Mechanic LCpl-Cpl 31.2 
			 Operational Military Intelligence Cpl-Sgt 8.6 
			 Clerk of Works SSqt-WO1 17.1 
			 Military Engineer Fitter Spr-LCpl 14 
			 Royal Artillery Gunner LBdr-Bdr (1) 
			 (1 )Currently not available.   Note:  The figure for separated service reflects the percentage of personnel within that trade that has completed more than 415 days separated service in the last 30 month rolling period. There are a number of recruitment and retention incentives that specifically targeted at pinch point groups. Individuals are micro-managed by the Arms and Services Directors in order to maintain operational capability and Individual Harmony. Each Service has a Pinch Point Working Group and there is a quarterly Pinch Point Working Group that aims to deliver best practice across the Services. 
		
	
	
		
			  RAF 
			  Operational pinch point  Percentage of current population breaching harmony 
			 Medical 3.1 
			 Operations Support (Intelligence) 20.2 
			 Operations Support (RRAF Regt) 18.5 
			 Operations Support (Provost/Security) 11.7 
			 Operations Support (Flight Ops) 12.1 
			 Princess Mary's RAF Nursing Service 8.1 
			 Weapons Systems Operator (Air Load Master) 4.7 
			 Weapon Systems Operator (Linguist) 4.3 
			 Air Traffic Controller/ Flight Operations Manager and Flight Operations Assistant 2.7/6.2 
			 Firefighter 21.2 
			 Gunner 25.3 
			 Movements Operator 11.1 
			 MT Tech 14.5 
			 RAF Police 14.2 
			 Staff Nurse (RGN) AE A  E 9.3 
			  Note:  The figure for separated service reflects the percentage of personnel within that trade that has completed more than 140 days separated service in the last 12 month rolling period. As with the RN and the Army, pinch point trades are micro-managed with the emphasis on retention and then recruiting. Specific measures are targeted at each group.

Armed Forces: Manpower

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what percentage of the total  (a) strength and  (b) requirement of (i) regular army officers and (ii) regular army other ranks was made up by the recruitment of British nationals in each year since 1997;
	(2)  what percentage of the total  (a) strength and  (b) requirement of regular army (i) officers and (ii) other ranks was made up by the recruitment of citizens of Commonwealth countries in each year since 1997;
	(3)  how many  (a) officers and  (b) other ranks of British nationality were recruited to the Regular Army in each year since 1997;
	(4)  how many  (a) officers and  (b) other ranks were recruited from Commonwealth countries to the Regular Army in each year since 1997.

Bob Ainsworth: The following tables show the strength of officers and soldiers with UK and Commonwealth nationalities as a proportion of the total strength and requirement for each financial year since 1997. Also provided is the intake of UK and Commonwealth officers and soldiers against the total intake for each financial year since 1997.
	
		
			  Regular Army UK and Commonwealth officer strength rates against average officer strength and requirements from 1 April 1997 to 28 February 2007 
			  P ercentage 
			  Against average strength  UK  Commonwealth 
			 1997-98 97.8 1.3 
			 1998-99 97.8 1.3 
			 1999-2000 97.8 1.3 
			 2000-01 97.7 1.4 
			 2001-02 97.6 1.5 
			 2002-03 97.6 1.5 
			 2003-04 97.5 1.6 
			 2004-05 97.4 1.8 
			 2005-06 97.3 1.9 
			 2006-07(1) 97.2 2.0 
		
	
	
		
			  P ercentage 
			  Against Requirements  UK  Commonwealth 
			 1997-98 98.3 1.3 
			 1998-99 97.0 1.3 
			 1999-2000 97.4 1.3 
			 2000-01 94.9 1.4 
			 2001-02 92.8 1.4 
			 2002-03 94.3 1.5 
			 2003-04 95.9 1.6 
			 2004-05 97.8 1.8 
			 2005-06 97.3 1.9 
			 2006-07(1) 101.2 2.0 
		
	
	
		
			  Regular Army UK and Commonwealth Officer intake against total regular Army officer intake from 1 April 1997 to 28 February 2007 
			   Total Intake  UK  Commonwealth (excluding UK) 
			 1997-98 990 960 20 
			 1998-99 800 760 20 
			 1999-2000 1,130 1,080 40 
			 2000-01 930 890 30 
			 2001-02 890 850 30 
			 2002-03 980 920 50 
			 2003-04 940 900 40 
			 2004-05 790 750 30 
			 2005-06 820 780 20 
			 2006-07(1) 820 790 10 
		
	
	
		
			  Regular Army UK and Commonwealth soldier strength rates against average soldier strengths and requirements from 1 April 1997 to 28 February 2007 
			  P ercentage 
			  Against average strengths  UK  Commonwealth 
			 1997-98 99.2 0.4 
			 1998-99 99.1 0.5 
			 1999-2000 99.1 0.5 
			 2000-01 98.8 0.8 
			 2001-02 98.2 1.3 
			 2002-03 97.3 2.3 
			 2003-04 95.7 3.9 
			 2004-05 94.0 5.6 
			 2005-06 92.9 6.6 
			 2006-07(1) 92.2 6.7 
		
	
	
		
			  Percentage 
			  Against requirements  UK  Commonweal th 
			 1997-98 93.1 0.4 
			 1998-99 92.6 0.4 
			 1999-2000 92.5 0.5 
			 2000-01 91.8 0.7 
			 2001-02 90.3 1.2 
			 2002-03 90.1 2.1 
			 2003-04 90.7 3.7 
			 2004-05 90.1 5.3 
			 2005-06 89.7 6.4 
			 2006-07(1) 88.6 6.4 
		
	
	
		
			  Regular Army UK and Commonwealth soldier intake against total regular Army soldier intake from 1 April 1997 to 28 February 2007 
			   Total intake  UK  Commonwealth (excluding UK) 
			 1997-98 14,510 14,370 60 
			 1998-99 16,300 16,070 160 
			 1999-2000 15,480 14,940 470 
			 2000-01 13,910 13,130 730 
			 2001-02 14,040 12,870 1,140 
			 2002-03 15,720 13,710 1,960 
			 2003-04 14,320 12,670 1,580 
			 2004-05 10,940 9,840 1,000 
			 2004-05 790 750 30 
			 2005-06 820 780 20 
			 2006-07(1) 820 790 10 
		
	
	
		
			  Regular Army UK and Commonwealth soldier strength rates against average soldier strengths and requirements from 1 April 1997 to 28 February 2007 
			  P ercentage 
			  Against average strengths  UK  Commonwealth 
			 1997-98 99.2 0.4 
			 1998-99 99.1 0.5 
			 1999-2000 99.1 0.5 
			 2000-01 98.8 0.8 
			 2001-02 98.2 1.3 
			 2002-03 97.3 2.3 
			 2003-04 95.7 3.9 
			 2004-05 94.0 5.6 
			 2005-06 92.9 6.6 
			 2006-07(1) 92.2 6.7 
		
	
	
		
			  P ercentage 
			  Against requirements  UK  Commonwealth 
			 1997-98 93.1 0.4 
			 1998-99 92.6 0.4 
			 1999-2000 92.5 0.5 
			 2000-01 91.8 0.7 
			 2001-02 90.3 1.2 
			 2002-03 90.1 2.1 
			 2003-04 90.7 3.7 
			 2004-05 90.1 5.3 
			 2005-06 89.7 6.4 
			 2006-07(1) 88.6 6.4 
		
	
	
		
			  Regular Army UK and Commonwealth soldier intake against total regular Army soldier intake from 1 April 1997 to 28 February 2007 
			   Total Intake  UK  Commonwealth (excl. UK) 
			 1997-98 14,510 14,370 60 
			 1998-99 16,300 16,070 160 
			 1999-2000 15,480 14,940 470 
			 2000-01 13,910 13,130 730 
			 2001-02 14,040 12,870 1,140 
			 2001-03 15,720 13,710 1,960 
			 2003-04 14,320 12,670 1,580 
			 2004-05 10,940 9,840 1,000 
			 2005-06 11,920 11,130 710 
			 2006-07(1) 11,900 11,090 720 
			 (1) 11 months data, due to the ongoing validation of the new joint personnel administration system Army flows data are not available from 1 April 2007.   Notes: 1. UK and Commonwealth strengths data are taken as a yearly average.  2. Strength percentages against requirements may be greater or less than 100 per cent. due to over-and/or under-manning (i.e. strength exceeding requirement).  3. The intake figures include re-enlistments and rejoined reservists.  4. Total intake also includes UK dependencies, Eire and other nationalities.  5. All data have been rounded to the nearest 10. Numbers ending in '5' have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to avoid systematic bias.

Armed Forces: Mental Health Services

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what new contracts have been awarded by his Department to the Priory Group since November 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: The Priory Group currently holds the contract for the provision of in-patient mental health care to armed forces personnel.
	No new contracts have been awarded to the Priory Group since November 2007.

Army: Labour Turnover

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of  (a) UK nationals and  (b) non-UK nationals recruited into the British Army (i) did not complete basic training, (ii) left within a year of enlistment, (iii) left within two years of enlistment and (iv) did not complete their engagement in each of the last 10 years.

Bob Ainsworth: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Defence: Procurement

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's policy is on the use of improvised explosive device jammers.

Bob Ainsworth: The armed forces use electronic counter measures to counter improvised explosive devices. I am withholding details of the policy governing their use as its disclosure would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces.

Departmental Advertising

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which of his Department's initiatives have been advertised to the public in each of the last 10 years; and what the cost of each such campaign was.

Derek Twigg: The combined departmental costs on armed forces recruitment advertising initiatives and veterans awareness advertising initiatives since financial year 2003-04 are as follows:
	
		
			  Financial year   million 
			 2003-04 16.648 
			 2004-05 26.195 
			 2005-06 29.256 
			 2006-07 32.483 
		
	
	Accurate information on other advertising procured by the Ministry of Defence, Defence Agencies, Top Level Budget areas, Trading Funds, Joint Headquarters, single Service Commands and military units is not held centrally and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
	Details of expenditure on advertising prior to March 2003 cannot be provided in the format requested as the information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Discrimination

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many claims for discrimination, based on  (a) sex,  (b) race and  (c) sexual orientation, were brought by members of his Department and settled (i) in and (ii) out of court in each of the last five years.

Derek Twigg: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Reserve Forces

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the members of  (a) the Territorial Army and  (b) the Royal Naval Reserve have served in theatre in the last 12 months.

Bob Ainsworth: Records of individual Territorial Army (TA) personnel deployed on operations are not held centrally and information on the proportion of members of the TA who have served in theatre in the last 12 months could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	As at 1 April 2007, the strength of the Naval Service Volunteer Reserves, including Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) and Royal Marine Reserve (RMR), was 2,970. Of these, 230 personnel (140 RNR and 80 RMR(1)), or 8 per cent. of total strength, have served in theatre between 1 March 2007 and 29 February 2008.
	(1) Due to rounding methods used, totals may not always equal the sum of the parts.

Royal Military Academy: Foreigners

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many places at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst were allocated to foreign nationals in each year since 1997, broken down by nationality.

Bob Ainsworth: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 29 February 2008,  Official Report, columns 2016-20W.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Alcoholic Drinks: Young People

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what methodology her Department uses to assess levels of  (a) underage drinking and  (b) drug use by young people.

Vernon Coaker: The survey 'Drug use, smoking and drinking among young people in England' is used to assess levels of  (a) underage drinking and  (b) drug use by young people. This is an annual survey which is conducted by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) and the National Foundation for Educational Research (NRER) on behalf of the Information Centre for health and social care (IC). The survey is widely regarded as the best source of national data on drinking among schoolchildren in England. Information for the 2006 survey was obtained from 8,200 pupils in 288 schools throughout England in the autumn term of 2006. The data were collected by researchers using self-completion questionnaires administered to children in their classroom under 'exam conditions'.

Animal Experiments

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her policy is on EC Directive 86/609/EEC, with particular reference to the use of apes for experimental and other scientific purposes.

Meg Hillier: holding answer 13 March 2008
	The objectives of the Government during the review of European Directive 86/609 on animal experimentation will be to ensure efficient and effective regulation that properly balances the protection of animals against the legitimate needs of science and industry. We do not believe that wholesale changes to the Directive are necessary to achieve the main benefits sought of harmonisation and animal welfare. We believe that the Directive has stood the test of time well and still provides a sound framework for regulation.
	We feel that the current revision of the Directive should aim to improve the regulation of animal use by focusing on key areas where regulation and harmonisation would improve animal welfare, improve scientific outputs, provide a more level playing field within the EU and improve the EU's competitiveness with other economic regions without compromising science and welfare.
	The vast majority of primates used in scientific procedures regulated by the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 in the UK are marmosets and macaques. Then Home Secretary Jack Straw said in 1997:
	Great Apes (chimpanzees, gorillas, pygmy gorillas and orang-utans) have never been used under the 1986 Act as laboratory animals. But this has not previously been banned. The Government will not allow their use in the future. This is a matter of morality. The cognitive and behavioural characteristics and qualities of these animals mean it is unethical to treat them as expendable for research.
	There are no plans to change this policy.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders: South Yorkshire

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many antisocial behaviour orders have been issued in  (a) Barnsley, East and Mexborough constituency,  (b) Barnsley metropolitan borough and (c) Doncaster metropolitan borough since their inception;
	(2)  how many acceptable behaviour contracts have been issued in  (a) Barnsley, East and Mexborough constituency,  (b) Barnsley metropolitan borough and (c) Doncaster metropolitan borough since their inception.

Vernon Coaker: Antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) became available from 1 April 1999. The number of ASBOs issued to the end of 2005 (latest available) where the prohibitions specify locations within the Barnsley metropolitan borough council and Doncaster metropolitan borough council areas are 74 and 61 respectively. Data collected centrally on ASBOs issued are not available at parliamentary constituency level.
	Acceptable behaviour contracts (ABCs) are voluntary agreements and therefore not suitable for central data collection. However, surveys carried out by the Home Office of the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs) indicated that over 25,000 ABCs have been made in England and Wales since October 2003.

BAE Systems

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether her Department has responded formally to the US Department of Justice request for mutual legal assistance with regard to BAE Systems.

Meg Hillier: I refer the hon. Member to previous answers provided on this matter. I can confirm that the Home Office received a request for assistance from the USA in respect of corruption allegations concerning BAE Systems. The request is being dealt with in accordance with the bi-lateral treaty on mutual legal assistance between the UK and the USA. It would be inappropriate to comment further.

Burglary: Lancashire

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department is taking to reduce burglaries in Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency.

Vernon Coaker: The Home Office has encouraged the development, dissemination and implementation of a range of good practice in reducing burglary, including work under the Reducing Burglary Initiative.
	In the Northern Division of Lancashire Constabulary, which covers Morecambe and Lunesdale, there is a dual approach to burglary, with prevention and education work combined with detection. Examples of prevention and education work include the Tower project, which is a project that aims to support criminals with substance misuse problems into moving away from criminal activity; and partnership approaches such as Police and Communities Together meetings and Neighbourhood Watch. The detection approach includes pro-active burglary teams, dedicated investigators, robust tasking and accountability process. Crime scene investigators visit all domestic burglary scenes, and there is a scheme in place to tackle repeat burglaries.
	Lancashire police have also adopted Neighbourhood Policing, this means named officers patrol the area as part of a regular patch, based on ward boundaries. This is underpinned by an intelligence led and problem-solving approach to burglary.

Crime: Motor Vehicles

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department has taken to reduce car crime since 1997.

Vernon Coaker: Vehicle crime has dropped by 52 per cent. since 1997 according to the British Crime Survey.
	Since 1997 the Government have worked closely with a range of partners including the motor industry and police to reduce car crime, for example by improving vehicle security. They established the Vehicle Crime Reduction Action team, published the Car Theft Index and, from 1999 to 2004, set a vehicle crime reduction target of 30 per cent., a target which was achieved. Government communications have aimed to change driver behaviour, such as not leaving items on view in cars. We have worked to increase the security of parking available for cars, and continue to work with the industry to find design solutions to crime problems. As a result of these activities large reductions have been achieved.
	Where local areas experience problems with vehicle crime, we encourage local partners to adopt a rigorous problem-solving approach, using evidence and analysis and to make full use of good practice, toolkits and communications materials which is available to all via the Home Office website.

Criminal Records Bureau: Databases

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of people whose details are recorded on the Criminal Records Bureau database have not been charged or convicted or otherwise received a penalty or sanction in relation to a criminal offence; and how many of such people are aged 16 years or under.

Meg Hillier: In processing disclosure applications the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) collates information which is held, owned and maintained by the police service, the Department for Children Schools and Families and the Department of Health respectively. Therefore, the CRB database does not hold the information requested.

Drugs: Schools

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she has taken to prevent drug dealing at or near school gates in the last three years.

Vernon Coaker: The Government have taken a tough stance to drug dealing on or in the vicinity of school premises. The Drugs Act 2005 introduced a provision which commenced on 1 January 2006 which made it an aggravating factor which courts must take into account when deciding the seriousness of a drug supply offence committed by a person aged 18 or over to deal drugs on or in the vicinity of school premises.
	We supported the Association of Chief Police Officers in the development and production of their guidance published in 2006 to police forces on working with schools and colleges which includes advice to police forces about having locally agreed protocols in place to manage drug-related incidents in schools and colleges.

Genetics: Databases

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of irregularities on the national DNA database.

Meg Hillier: A number of procedures carried out by police forces, forensic suppliers and the National DNA Database (NDNAD) Custodian's staff are in place to ensure that information is recorded as accurately as possible on the NDNAD. These procedures are designed to ensure as far as possible that errors are not included on the database in the first place, rather than removing them once they are on.
	If any irregular record comes to the notice of the NDNAD Custodian and his staff, the record is suspended on the database pending an investigationthe outcome of which is that the record may be re-instated unchanged, amended, or deleted.

Genetics: Databases

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people from each police authority area in Yorkshire and the Humber had a sample of their DNA stored on the national DNA database at the latest date for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement.

Meg Hillier: The number of subject profiles retained on the National DNA Database (NDNAD) for each police force in the Yorkshire and Humberside area are shown in the following table. There are two figures for each force; the number of profiles and the estimated number of individuals. The number of profiles held on the database is not the same as the number of individuals. As it is possible for a profile to be loaded onto the NDNAD on more than one occasion, some profiles held on the NDNAD are replicates. This can occur, for example, if the person provided different names, or different versions of their name, on separate arrests, or because profiles are upgraded.
	It should also be noted that the table shows the number of individuals sampled by each police force, and not the area where the people sampled are resident. For example, the figure for North Yorkshire includes people living outside North Yorkshire who have been sampled by that police force and excludes residents of North Yorkshire who have been sampled by other police forces.
	At present, the replication rate is 13.3 per cent. that is, the number of people whose details are loaded is 13.3 per cent. fewer than the number of profiles.
	
		
			  Police force  Subject profiles  Estimated number of individuals 
			 North Yorkshire 55,879 48,447 
			 South Yorkshire 117,023 101,459 
			 West Yorkshire 214,362 185,852 
			 Humberside 81,986 71,082

Human Trafficking: Children

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many trafficked children were taken into police custody following raids on illegal cannabis factories in each of the last three years.

Vernon Coaker: No central records are kept on juvenile offenders who may have been victims of trafficking. However concerns have been raised by a number of children's charities about the arrest of children found in cannabis factories in the UK.
	A recent study by the Child Exploitation Online Protection Centre (CEOP) examined 39 cases of Vietnamese juveniles arrested during 2007 in such circumstances.
	Out of the 39 children, one child was identified as a trafficked victim and referred to Children's Services.
	In December 2007 the Crown Prosecution Service issued guidance which advises prosecutors that where children are known to have been trafficked and coerced to commit criminal acts, cases should be discontinued on evidential grounds. Where the information concerning coercion is less certain, further details should be sought from the police and youth offender teams, so that the public interest in continuing a prosecution can be considered carefully.

Immigrants: Employment

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government plan to take to stop employers employing illegal immigrants.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 14 March 2008
	The Border and Immigration Agency is increasing enforcement activity against illegal working in general. Steps have been taken to strengthen the law preventing employers from using illegal migrant workers. The law in this area applies to employers or agencies in all sectors of the economy.
	The Immigration Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 introduced a system of civil penalties for careless employers and a criminal offence of knowingly employing illegal workers. This came into force on 29 February 2008.
	The maximum level of civil penalty is 10,000 and the criminal offence of knowingly employing an illegal migrant will attract a prison term of up to two years as well as an unlimited fine on conviction on indictment.

Immigration Officers

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department has taken to ensure that immigration officers are able to take the breaks to which they are entitled during working hours.

Liam Byrne: Immigration Officers are scheduled to take breaks during their shifts; on operational duties the timing of breaks may need to be flexible but there are opportunities to take rest and refreshment breaks

Immigration: Applications

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the answer of 9 May 2007,  Official Report, column 247W, on immigration applications, and her letter of 21 December 2007, reference G1002712, when she will provide a substantive written response to the issues raised.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 11 March 2008
	I wrote to the hon. Member on 11 March 2008.

MI5

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what arrangements are in place for  (a) giving notice to her and  (b) seeking leave from her by the Director General of the Security Service (DGSS) in relation to the making of speeches on matters within his responsibilities, with particular reference to the DGSS's speech to the Society of Editors on 5 November 2007;
	(2)  when she was first informed of the  (a) delivery date and (b) content of the speech delivered by the Director General of the Security Services on 5 November 2007 to the Society of Editors.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 12 November 200 7
	My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has regular meetings and discussions with the Director General of the Security Service on a wide range of subjects.

National Identity Register

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances local authorities will have access to the National Identity Register.

Meg Hillier: There will be no general access to the National Identity Register. However, identity services will provide accredited organisations, which could include local authorities, with the means to verify identity, with an individual's consent, against the National Identity Register. There are no plans to provide local authorities with information from the National Identity Register without obtaining consent from the individual which would require the specific approval by Parliament of regulations under section 20 of the Identity Cards Act 2006.

Organised Crime: Databases

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the European database of dangerous offenders to prevent homicide associated with organised crime is expected to be operational; and what funding her Department has allocated to the database.

Meg Hillier: The project to develop a European database of dangerous offenders is in the very early stages and no timetable for its becoming operational has yet been set out.
	No funding has been allocated by the Home Office.

Refuges: Females

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the  (a) demand for and  (b) provision of places in refuges for women who are drug users.

Iain Wright: I have been asked to reply.
	We do not hold this information centrally. Decisions on the provision of refuge spaces are a local matter. It is the responsibility of the individual local authority to identify any gaps in service provision and put in place appropriate solutions to address this. We would expect local authorities to build services based on the needs of their communities, taking account of locally available information.
	The Department funds UKRefugesonline (UKROL), a UK-wide database of domestic violence services delivered in partnership by Women's Aid and Refuge which supports the national 24-hour free phone domestic violence helpline. It enables those working with victims of domestic violence to identify appropriate services and potential refuge vacancies around the country. UKROL produce the UK Gold Book, a guide to refuge and domestic abuse services, every two years. This indicates that there are 20 service providers supporting drug users.

SCOTLAND

Departmental Cost Effectiveness

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress his Department has made in its zero-based budget review under the Comprehensive Spending Review.

David Cairns: The comprehensive spending review settlement for the Scotland Office and the Office of the Advocate General for Scotland was agreed with HM Treasury as a three year settlement, fully taking account of efficiency savings. Further information on the provision will be contained in the Office's Annual Report, due to be published later this year.

BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM

Business: Females

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform with reference to the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Financial Statement of 12 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 285-298, how the 12.5 million capital fund for female entrepreneurs will be allocated; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The Government have made a commitment to provide 12.5 million of capital to set up a fund to invest primarily in women-led businesses, as part of its Enterprise Strategy published alongside Budget 2008. Capital for Enterprise Limited, which will deliver the Department's venture capital and loan activity from 1 April 2008, have been tasked with designing the fund and will invite proposals in the summer. Fund managers will be selected on merit through open competition.

Commercial Secrets: Theft

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what guidance he issues to companies offered suspected stolen information about the financial affairs of their associates and competitors.

Gareth Thomas: A company offered information on the financial affairs of its associates and competitors which it suspects is stolen is advised to report the matter to the police.

Departmental Data Protection

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether confidential or personal information has been compromised through the loss of property from his Department and its predecessor since 1997.

Gareth Thomas: Except in exceptional cases, when it is in the public interest, it has been the policy of successive governments not to comment on breaches of security. However, following the publication of the Data Handling Procedures in Government: Interim Progress Report on 17 December 2007,  Official Report, column 98WS, all Departments will cover information assurance issues in their annual reports.

Foreign Investment in UK: Japan

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many Japanese investors invested in British industries in 2007; what assessment he has made of the contribution of such investment to the UK economy; and what steps the Government is taking to increase such investment.

Gareth Thomas: UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) records information on foreign direct investment (FDI) where UKTI has been directly involved, or where its Regional Partners have become aware of investment. Japan is a key FDI investor for the UK, and in 2006-07 UKTI recorded 80 decisions to invest in the UK by Japanese investors, creating over 2,786 new jobs. Two private sector independent sources of business information, Bureau van Dijk and Toyo Keizai, have, respectively, recorded the total stock of Japanese companies in the UK in 2007 at 1,795, and the jobs created in the UK by Japanese companies at 92,882.
	UKTI has the lead role within Government for delivering trade development and inward investment services for business. In 2006, UKTI launched its five year strategy Prosperity in a Changing World, which is aimed at maximising the UK's ability to attract FDI, by winning market share in new high growth markets, helping businesses internationalise, and by supporting R and D intensive companies.

Government Offices for the Regions

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform which of his Department's programme budgets were administered by the Government Offices of the Regions in each of the last five years.

Patrick McFadden: holding answer 18 March 2008
	The Government Offices have directly administered the following programme budgets on behalf of BERR.
	
		
			   Programme 
			 2002-03 Regional Development Agency sponsorship University Innovation Centres Renewable Energy 
			 2003-04 Regional Development Agency sponsorship University Innovation Centres Renewable Energy 
			 2004-05 University Innovation Centres Regional Energy Strategy Development and Delivery 
			 2005-06 University Innovation Centres Regional Energy Strategy Development and Delivery 
			 2006-07 University Innovation Centres Regional Energy Strategy Development and Delivery

Inward Investment: Dover District Council

Stephen Ladyman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what support his Department has made available to attract inward investment to  (a) Thanet and  (b) Dover district council areas in the last three years.

Gareth Thomas: UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) promotes the UK as the top inward investment location in Europe, and works in close partnership with all of the UK's Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) to attract value added inward investment. The South East of England Development Agency (SEEDA) is the RDA covering Kent, and responsible for inward investment work in the south east of England.
	In 2006-07, the Government provided 163 million to SEEDA through the Single Programme Budget fund. This included a proportion of the 17.23 million (in 2006-07) provided by UKTI to the nine English RDAs for inward investment work. Funding, once allocated, is available for SEEDA to spend as they see fit to achieve regional priorities set out in their regional economic strategies and corporate plans.

Post Offices: Liverpool

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 
	(1)  what commitments Post Office Limited gave to Postwatch in relation to the future of  (a) Soho Street,  (b) Mill Street and  (c) St John's post offices in Liverpool; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  when he last discussed the future of  (a) Soho Street,  (b) Mill Street and  (c) St John's post offices in Liverpool with (i) Post Office Limited and (ii) Postwatch; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  when the consultation on the future of St John's Post Office in Liverpool will end; and what the process is for considering the results of that consultation.

Patrick McFadden: These are operational matters for Post Office Ltd. (POL). I have therefore asked Alan Cook, managing director of POL, to reply direct to the hon. Member.
	Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Post Offices: Liverpool

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform when he last discussed the future of the Copperas Hill mail sorting office in Liverpool with Royal Mail; and if he will make a statement.

Patrick McFadden: There have been no such discussions. This is an operational matter for which Royal Mail has direct responsibility. I have therefore asked the chief executive of Royal Mail, Adam Crozier, to provide a direct reply to the hon. Member.
	A copy of the response will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Arts Council England: Finance

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding was given to Arts Council England in the last 12 months; what percentage was given to the east of England; and how much was allocated to organisations in grants.

Margaret Hodge: My Department expects to provide 422.2 million grant in aid to Arts Council England in 2007-08, following parliamentary approval of the Spring Supplementary Estimate. Final outturn figures will be available in June 2008. Projected lottery income to Arts Council England (including investment income) in 2007-08 is 146 million. Final lottery figures will be available in mid April.
	Arts Council England, East will receive 12 million from the grant in aid income and 4.5 million from the lottery income in 2007-08, of which 13 million is to be allocated to organisations in grants and 0.5 million is to be allocated as grants for the arts for individuals. Of the remaining budget, 2 million is allocated to administration spend and 1 million to managed funds. Managed funds are used by the Arts Council flexibly to deliver throughout the year often short-term, one-off arts projects, often in partnership with other organisations.

Arts: Birmingham

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he is taking on increasing access to the arts in  (a) Birmingham and  (b) Staffordshire.

Margaret Hodge: Government investment and support for the arts is primarily channelled through Arts Council England (ACE). Overall arts funding has increased in real terms by 73 per cent. since 1998 and in 2007-08 ACE received 412 million.
	ACE West Midlands have placed a priority on ensuring that their investment over the next three years reaches a wide range of communities, artists and audiences in Birmingham and Staffordshire. Between 2008-09 and 2010-11 ACE will provide over 74 million to regularly funded organisations in Birmingham, and 3.4 million to regularly funded organisations in Staffordshire.

Arts: Public Expenditure

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what expenditure on publicly-funded arts and culture was in 2007, broken down by constituency.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 14 March 2008
	 Arts Council England's grant in aid revenue funding for 2007-08, broken down by constituency, is set out in the table. The arts and culture sectors, which among others include museums, heritage and film organisations, also receive funding from the DCMS, money distributed by the national lottery and funding from local authorities. Figures for these are not centrally collated.
	
		
			  Constituency  Total  () 
			 Amber Valley 88,610 
			 Ashford 61,006 
			 Banbury 45,164 
			 Barking 40,000 
			 Barnsley Central 22,850 
			 Barnsley West and Penistone 20,000 
			 Barrow and Furness 394,700 
			 Basingstoke 290,804 
			 Bath 472,961 
			 Battersea 1,395,163 
			 Berwick-upon-Tweed 391,235 
			 Bethnal Green and Bow 5,395,079 
			 Beverley and Holderness 20,000 
			 Bexhill and Battle 523,880 
			 Birmingham Erdington 80,715 
			 Birmingham Ladywood 7,843,472 
			 Birmingham Perry Barr 148,862 
			 Birmingham Selly Oak 1,141,111 
			 Birmingham Sparkbrook and Small Heath 156,488 
			 Bishop Auckland 35,222 
			 Blackburn 107,000 
			 Blyth Valley 22,363 
			 Bolsover 118,380 
			 Bolton North East 571,300 
			 Bournemouth West 167,517 
			 Bracknell 216,006 
			 Bradford North 143,850 
			 Bradford West 351,590 
			 Brent East 859,841 
			 Brent North 31,050 
			 Brent South 122,825 
			 Brentford and Isleworth 2,732,184 
			 Brentwood and Ongar 56,039 
			 Brigg and Goole 20,000 
			 Brighton Kemptown 116,518 
			 Brighton Pavilion 2,063,178 
			 Bristol East 311,881 
			 Bristol South 68,624 
			 Bristol West 3,192,118 
			 Burnley 226,200 
			 Bury North 73,200 
			 Bury St. Edmonds 288,844 
			 Calder Valley 20,000 
			 Calder Valley 33,780 
			 Camberwell and Peckham 379,888 
			 Cambridge 1,389,682 
			 Cambridgeshire North East 100,297 
			 Canterbury 201,614 
			 Charnwood 49,361 
			 Cheltenham 547,762 
			 Chester 348,300 
			 Chesterfield 24,445 
			 Chichester 1,578,356 
			 Chingford and Wood Green 40,000 
			 Cities of London and Westminster 10,207,345 
			 City of Durham 71,727 
			 City of York 966,390 
			 Cleethorpes 21,120 
			 Colchester 1,280,090 
			 Colne Valley 125,050 
			 Copeland 41,100 
			 Corby 30,000 
			 Coventry South 1,722,974 
			 Croydon Central 215,111 
			 Darlington 408,370 
			 Derby North 621,400 
			 Derby South 767,756 
			 Derbyshire South 52,900 
			 Dewsbury 25,020 
			 Doncaster Central 73,910 
			 Dorset North 52,788 
			 Dorset West 63,345 
			 Dudley South 26,394 
			 Dulwich and West Norwood 47,430 
			 Durham North 40,000 
			 Durham North West 20,953 
			 Ealing, Acton and Shepherd's Bush 1,124,643 
			 Easington 25,483 
			 East Yorkshire 40,000 
			 Eastbourne 175,000 
			 Eastleigh 52,533 
			 Eddisbury 87,400 
			 Edinburgh East 28,505 
			 Edmonton 30,000 
			 Ellesmere Port and Neston 142,600 
			 Erith and Thamesmead 100,000 
			 Exeter 1,014,363 
			 Falmouth and Cambourne 203,444 
			 Finchley and Golders Green 354,899 
			 Folkestone and Hythe 74,581 
			 Forest of Dean 47,509 
			 Gainsborough 47,330 
			 Gloucester 139,571 
			 Grantham and Stamford 60,980 
			 Great Grimsby 46,240 
			 Greenwich and Woolwich 493,935 
			 Guildford 436,026 
			 Hackney North and Stoke Newington 120,270 
			 Hackney South and Shoreditch 4,693,355 
			 Halifax 512,300 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 2,153,913 
			 Hampstead and Highgate 1,997,238 
			 Harrogate and Knaresborough 428,890 
			 Harrow East 118,271 
			 Harrow West 51,796 
			 Hartlepool 39,019 
			 Hastings and Rye 27,450 
			 Hayes and Harlington 42,621 
			 Hemel Hempstead 24,969 
			 Hendon 65,946 
			 Hereford 252,477 
			 Hexham 449,500 
			 Heywood and Middleton 50,500 
			 High Peak 238,170 
			 Holborn and St. Pancras 5,880,930 
			 Hornchurch 343,121 
			 Hornsey and Wood Green 217,480 
			 Hove 105,576 
			 Huddersfield 601,920 
			 Ipswich 1,322,171 
			 Isle of Wight 79,616 
			 Islington North 1,930,883 
			 Islington South and Finsbury 13,465,970 
			 Keighley 80,850 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 3,054,498 
			 Kingston upon Hull and West Hessle 542,800 
			 Kingston upon Hull North 67,670 
			 Kingswood 105,576 
			 Lancaster and Wyre 1,111,000 
			 Leeds Central 3,256,250 
			 Leeds North East 353,210 
			 Leeds North West 2,723,470 
			 Leeds West 248,200 
			 Leicester East 115,825 
			 Leicester South 2,401,425 
			 Leominster 43,286 
			 Lewes 1,480,120 
			 Lewisham Deptford 937,477 
			 Lewisham West 26,394 
			 Lichfield 33,276 
			 Lincoln 282,994 
			 Liverpool Riverside 7,292,500 
			 Loughborough 169,532 
			 Louth and Horncastle 44,370 
			 Ludlow 246,884 
			 Luton South 464,248 
			 Maidenhead 133,104 
			 Maidstone and The Weald 99,136 
			 Manchester Central 8,338,976 
			 Manchester Gorton 128100 
			 Manchester Withington 102,000 
			 Medway 24,957 
			 Middlesbrough 234636 
			 Middlesbrough South and Cleveland East 21,013 
			 Milton Keynes North East 84,557 
			 Montgomeryshire 208,120 
			 Morecambe and Lunesdale 53,600 
			 New Forest West 275,664 
			 Newark 33,090 
			 Newbury 310,621 
			 Newcastle-upon-Tyne Central 2,927,177 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend 218,432 
			 Newcastle-under-Lyme 946,915 
			 North Devon 52,788 
			 North Dorset 54,108 
			 North Durham 10,609 
			 North East Hertfordshire 27,080 
			 North East Milton Keynes 371,690 
			 North Shropshire 43,286 
			 North Southwark and Bermondsey 6,596,076 
			 North Thanet 64,334 
			 North West Cambridgeshire 24,958 
			 North West Durham 21,218 
			 North West Leicestershire 52,900 
			 North West Norfolk 21,115 
			 Northampton South 738,905 
			 Norwich South 854,894 
			 Nottingham East 108,715 
			 Nottingham North 319,605 
			 Nottingham South 2,669,186 
			 Oldham East and Saddleworth 472,700 
			 Oldham West and Royton 75,100 
			 Oxford East 1,394,053 
			 Oxford West and Abingdon 389,133 
			 Penrith and the Border 162,900 
			 Peterborough 25,009 
			 Plymouth Devonport 65,457 
			 Plymouth Sutton 4,222,882 
			 Poole 339,080 
			 Poplar and Canning Town 340,475 
			 Portsmouth South 259,840 
			 Preston 101,900 
			 Pudsey 105,020 
			 Putney 174,200 
			 Redcar 29,742 
			 Regent's Park and Kensington North 1,057,645 
			 Richmond 94,550 
			 Richmond Park 361,828 
			 Rochdale 188,600 
			 Rochford and Southend East 75,974 
			 Rossendale and Darwen 155,900 
			 Rushcliffe 79,492 
			 Ryedale 282,545 
			 Salford 1,161,700 
			 Salisbury 1,266,246 
			 Scarborough and Whitby 708,990 
			 Scunthorpe 21,120 
			 Sheffield Central 21,120 
			 Sheffield Brightside 20,000 
			 Sheffield Central 2,400,020 
			 Sheffield Heeley 20,000 
			 Shipley 20,000 
			 Shrewsbury and Atcham 229,211 
			 Skipton and Ripon 20,590 
			 Sleaford and North Hykeham 281,920 
			 Slough 123,345 
			 Somerton and Frome 39,063 
			 South Cambridgeshire 99,015 
			 South Holland and The Deepings 52,280 
			 South Norfolk 160,678 
			 South Shields 123,450 
			 South West Surrey 67,568 
			 Southampton Itchen 297,760 
			 Southampton Test 924,294 
			 Southport 23,900 
			 St. Albans 262,183 
			 St. Helen's South 78,900 
			 St. Ives 208,000 
			 Stockton North 575,000 
			 Stockton South 65,400 
			 Stoke on Trent North 68,624 
			 Stoke on Trent South 27,729 
			 Stratford on Avon 32,465 
			 Streatham 169,716 
			 Stroud 226,988 
			 Suffolk Coastal 1,231,598 
			 Sunderland North 333,073 
			 Surrey South West 77,060 
			 Swindon South 367,271 
			 Taunton 190,036 
			 Teignbridge 84,255 
			 Telford 32,465 
			 Tewkesbury 52,788 
			 Thanet North 400,000 
			 Tiverton and Honiton 27,054 
			 Tooting 639,129 
			 Torridge and West Devon 187,171 
			 Totnes 633,454 
			 Tottenham 39,767 
			 Truro and St. Austell 521,409 
			 Tunbridge Wells 77,644 
			 Twickenham 22,849 
			 Tyne Bridge 7,387,741 
			 Vale of York 50,570 
			 Vauxhall 7,785,376 
			 Wakefield 1,327,400 
			 Walsall South 848,531 
			 Walthamstow 104,099 
			 Wansbeck 46,647 
			 Warwick and Leamington 337,050 
			 Watford 717,651 
			 Weaver Vale 27,200 
			 Wellingborough 41,200 
			 Wells 26,394 
			 Welwyn Hatfield 170,494 
			 West Bromwich East 198,482 
			 West Bromwich West 73,106 
			 West Chelmsford 93,874 
			 West Derbyshire 317,521 
			 West Dorset 112,966 
			 West Ham 1,110,753 
			 West Worcestershire 55,460 
			 Westbury 52,788 
			 Westmorland and Lonsdale 561,710 
			 Wiltshire North 42,380 
			 Wimbledon 565,000 
			 Winchester 364,981 
			 Wolverhampton South West 161,583 
			 Witney 66,394 
			 Woking 44,368 
			 Wolverhampton South East 85,410 
			 Wolverhampton South West 94,202 
			 Worcester 172,488 
			 Workington 436,700 
			 Wycombe 22,184 
			 Wyre Forest 62,064 
			 Wythenshawe and Sale East 20,600 
			 Yeovil 228,019 
			 Not attributed to a specific constituency (see notes) 132,524,701 
			 Grand total 324,721,712 
			  Notes: A number of the Arts Council's regular funding investments are not allocated to a constituency. 1. Investment sums that were not allocated to a specific organisation. These are funds that had been allocated to a specific art form or geographic location (such as Somerset or Cornwall), but where the exact organisation or combination of organisations that will deliver the work are still to be decided. 2. Organisations where the Arts Council's annual investment is above 5 million. The audiences for these organisations come from multiple constituencies, and the economic and artistic impact of these organisations likewise reaches far beyond a single constituency. Many are publicly regarded as national organisations. 3. Local authorities. Arts Council's investment in local authorities has an impact across a number of constituencies within each local authority area.

Betting: Enforcement

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the betting industry on plans to re-apportion the costs of policing sports betting; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I have had no meetings with the betting industry specifically on this issue.
	The Gambling Commission is responsible for regulating betting in Great Britain and in May 2007 they published a consultation on Integrity in Sports Betting. In October 2007 the Commission published responses to this consultation, which broadly concluded that there was not enough evidence of the link between sports betting and integrity issues.
	On 18 March 2008, the Association of British Bookmakers (ABB) held a seminar to raise awareness of the betting industry's work in this area and the procedures they have in place to identify and report suspicious betting activity.
	The Government favour voluntary arrangements between the sports and betting industries in addressing this issue. However, the Commission continues to gather intelligence on all gambling integrity issues and is keeping the situation under review.

Casinos: Licensing

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether he plans to change licensing conditions for land-based casinos.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 19 March 2008
	The Secretary of State may attach mandatory and default licence conditions to casino premises licences and may also attach licence conditions to operating licences. Any changes to the current licence conditions would normally be made only after three months consultation and would require approval by Parliament. No such consultation on changes is under way.
	In pursuing the three licensing objectives set out in the Gambling Act 2005, the Gambling Commission may also attach licence conditions to operating licences through its Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP). The Gambling Commission is already conducting a review of LCCP and will begin a public consultation on proposed changes in April 2008. The revised version of LCCP will take effect early in 2009.

Cultural Heritage: Heraldry

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking to prevent the export of the Dering Roll from the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 20 March 2008
	The application for an export licence for the Dering Roll was recently considered by the Reviewing Committee for the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest. The Committee judged the Dering Roll to be of outstanding historical importance to the UK. They therefore recommended that the export licence be deferred. The Government accepted this recommendation and agreed to defer the licence.
	A decision on the granting of the export licence will be deferred until 19 April, with the possibility of an extension to 19 July, during which time it is open to a UK individual or organisation to raise funds to match the recommended price of the Roll (192,500) and therefore ensure that this item remains in the UK.

Culture

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the number of local authority  (a) museums,  (b) galleries,  (c) heritage sites,  (d) archives and  (e) libraries that (i) have closed since 1997 and (ii) are earmarked for closure in 2008-09.

Margaret Hodge: Information on local authority museums, galleries, heritage sites, archives and libraries is not held centrally. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Brent, East (Sarah Teather) on 24 January 2008,  Official Report, column 2174W, in respect of Public Library Statistics.
	Any proposed closures in 2008-09 are a matter for the local authority concerned.

Dance

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he plans to publish the report of his Department's dance review led by Tony Hall.

Margaret Hodge: Tony Hall's Dance Review was published on 17 March 2008. In response to the review, Government announced that an investment of 5.5 million would be made to Youth Dance England to improve dance opportunities both in and beyond schools.
	Government also committed to establishing six new centres of advanced training for exceptionally talented young people and to piloting dance co-ordinators within the school sport infrastructure to ensure high quality access for all children and young people. Leadership will come in the form of a new Government Dance Review Programme Board which will be tasked with taking forward the recommendations from the review.

Departmental Advertising

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which of his Department's initiatives have been advertised to the public in each of the last 10 years; and what the cost of each such campaign was.

Margaret Hodge: The Department has a zero spend on advertising campaigns to the public between 1997 and 2002. Expenditure in subsequent years is as follows:
	
		
			   Campaign  Spend () 
			 2003-04 BBC Charter (press advertising) 20,987 
			 2004-05 BBC Charter (radio advertising) 37,085 
			 2005-06 Licensing (press advertising) 51,028 
			 2006-07 Tourism consultation (press advertising) 4,903 
			 2007-08 Breakout website (web advertising) 7,830

Departmental Sustainable Development

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when his Department plans to publish its sustainable operations policy statement.

Margaret Hodge: The Department will publish its sustainable operations policy statement as part of the Sustainable Development Action Plan due to be produced by early summer.

Departmental Working Hours

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many hours  (a) in total and  (b) on average per employee were worked by civil servants in his Department in the last year for which records are available.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The recording of hours worked is a function delegated to line managers and not held centrally by human resources. The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Digital Broadcasting: Television

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which areas of the country have no access to freeview digital television.

Andy Burnham: The matter raised is the responsibility of the Office of Communications (Ofcom), as independent regulator for the communications sector. Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive of Ofcom to reply directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the chief executive's letter will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Gambling

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether he plans to allow more permitted areas for gambling in the UK.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 19 March 2008
	There are no plans to allow more permitted areas.

Gambling: Advertising

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 10 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 149-50W, on television advertising, who is responsible for monitoring the gambling industry's voluntary code; when the code will come into force; whether all gambling industry sectors have agreed to this code; and whether gambling is currently advertised on television before the 9pm watershed.

Andy Burnham: The gambling industry's voluntary code for socially responsible advertising came into effect on 1 September 2007. The voluntary code is in addition to the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) code and the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) code which are regulated by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
	There is wide industry support for the voluntary code and most sectors of the gambling industry, including the principal trade bodies for the casino, bingo, betting, gaming machine and remote gambling sectors, have agreed to it. An Industry Review Group, chaired by Business in Sport and Leisure (BiSL), is responsible for monitoring and ensuring compliance with the code and keeping it under review.
	The industry's voluntary code includes a 9 pm watershed on all broadcast gambling advertising, with exceptions for bingo and lottery advertisements which before 1 September 2007 were already permitted broadcast advertising at any time and the advertising of sports betting around televised sporting events.
	There has been a high level of compliance with the CAP and BCAP codes and the industry's voluntary code since 1 September 2007.

Members: Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire, dated 3 January, on the security of personal data of British nationals.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 3 March 2008
	We have no record of receipt of such a letter.

Rugby

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many rugby union coaches his Department has recorded as having  (a) been recruited and  (b) increased their qualifications in each of the last five years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department does not hold data on the numbers of coaches recruited/qualified with individual sports governing bodies.
	However, the following table details information held by Sport England on the numbers of qualified/active Rugby Football Union coaches between 2005-06 and 2007-08.
	
		
			  Financial year  Qualified a ctive RFU c oaches 
			 2005-06 22,469 
			 2006-07 28,070 
			 2007-08 (1)29,314 
			 (1) As at June 2007. 
		
	
	DCMS has invested over 60 million into coaching in the five years up to 2008. Part of this funding has enabled us to establish over 3,000 community sports coaches.

Rugby

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many  (a) men and  (b) women have started playing rugby under the Go Play! scheme which his Department funds in each of the last three years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Go Play Rugby programme is an initiative of the Rugby Football Union (RFU) to recruit adult players.
	Since its launch in July 2007, the scheme has successfully recruited over 9,000 new players of which approximately 840 are female.

Rugby

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much has been spent on the Go Play! programme administered by the Rugby Football Union through  (a) the Exchequer,  (b) the National Lottery and  (c) the National Sports Foundation funding.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The National Sports Foundation, which is Exchequer funded, has invested 500,000 into the Rugby Football Union's Go Play Rugby programme.
	In addition, Sport England provided a lottery grant of 97,400 to support Go Play Rugby in the east midlands.

Sports: Taxation

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether his Department has had discussions with HM Treasury on a corporation tax exemption for sports national governing bodies in the last two years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: My Department has regular discussions with HM Treasury about tax proposals for its sectors. In 2008 these have included specific discussions about corporation tax and national governing bodies.

PRIME MINISTER

Intelligence and Security Committee: Public Appointments

Ben Wallace: To ask the Prime Minister whether the changes to the Intelligence and Security Committee indicated in the National Security Strategy will include a transfer of power to Parliament to appoint the Committee's membership.

Gordon Brown: Detailed proposals for the reform of the Intelligence and Security Committee have been published today in the Governance of Britain White Paper (cm7342). These include proposals to enable Parliament to play a fuller role in the appointment of members to the Committee.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Food: Procurement

Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what estimate he has made of the  (a) quantity and  (b) percentage of (i) fruit, (ii) vegetables, (iii) bottled water, (iv) food products, (v) alcoholic drinks and (vi) other food products sourced by the Refreshment Department and its successor from suppliers outside the UK in the last year for which figures are available.

Nick Harvey: Many fruit and vegetables are purchased by individual piece or bunch, not by weight or any other consistent measure, and so it is not possible to give an overall estimate of the quantity of fruit and vegetables purchased. The following figures are best estimates of product origins in 2007. All suppliers are UK-based.
	 (i) fruit
	108 different fresh fruit products were purchasedtotal value 95,000.
	42 (39 per cent.) were UK products when available and in season (27 (25 per cent.) products came predominantly from local Kent and Sussex farms). The remaining 66 (61 per cent.) items were purchased outside the UK because they were either exotic, tropical or seasonal.
	 (ii) vegetables
	187 different fresh vegetable products were purchasedtotal value 273,000.
	152 (81 per cent.) were UK products when available and in season. The remaining 35 (19 per cent.) items were purchased outside the UK because they were either exotic, unavailable in the UK or seasonal.
	 (iii) bottled water
	All bottled water is purchased within the UK where water is bottled at sourcetotal value 44,500.
	 (iv) food products and (vi) other food products: fish, meat, poultry
	59 different fish products (wet, shelled and cured) were purchasedtotal value 218,000.
	Most fish (39 regular purchases66 per cent.) originate from the colder local waters of the North sea, Irish sea, English channel and around the Scottish coast. The remainder came from the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans and the Mediterranean sea. Fish is purchased from areas of sustainable stocks.
	98 per cent. of meat and poultry purchasestotal value 495,000, were certified UK origin.
	The provenances of other food products are not availabletotal spend circa 960,000.
	 (v) alcoholic drinks
	119 alcoholic drinks were purchasedtotal value 474,000.
	Beer and cider: seven beer and ale kegs, six (86 per cent.) from the UK under licence and Guinness from RoI; five bottled beers and ciders2 (40 per cent.) are produced in the UK.
	17 spirits: nine (53 per cent.) are imported;
	nine liqueurs: eight (89 per cent.) are imported;
	four aperitifs: four (100 per cent.) are imported;
	five fortified wines: five (100 per cent.) are imported.
	The full wine portfolio (including champagne, sparkling and dessert) is 72 wines, three (4 per cent.) are produced in the UK.

Freedom of Information

Frank Doran: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission whether the Corporate Officer of the House of Commons plans to appeal against the decision of the Information Tribunal on 26 February 2008.

Nick Harvey: The Members Estimate Committee is concerned that the Information Tribunal (in its decision of 26 February in cases 2001/02, 2002/03, 2003/04 and 2005/06) misdirected itself in law in deciding that home addresses of Members of Parliament should always be published subject only to limited exceptions. The House will therefore appeal. A second ground will be that the Information Tribunal paid insufficient attention to the reasonable expectations of Members about disclosure of personal information in the statutory publication scheme. The MEC remains committed to reviewing the allowance system and ensuring that there is probity and transparency.

Ipsos MORI

Eric Pickles: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what payments the House of Commons Commission made to Ipsos MORI in the last 24 months; and for what purposes.

Nick Harvey: There have been no payments to Ipsos MORI in the last 24 months. The most recent payment to MORI was in connection with the feasibility study into the parliamentary visitor centre. This occurred in January 2006 before the 24-month period requested.

Drinking Water

Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what estimate he has made of  (a) the carbon footprint associated with the use of bottled water within the House and  (b) the likely footprint were only tap water available.

Nick Harvey: Data are not available on the carbon footprint associated with bottled water supplied to the House. However estimates of the embedded energy of the products, shows  (a) bottled water having 5,000 Megajoules and  (b) tap water, 10 Megajoules, per 1,000 litres consumed. For bottled water, most of its embedded energy is in the form of fossil fuel use embodied in the glass and plastic materials and their manufacture and for tap water, most of its embedded energy is in the form of electrical energy which is used to pump the water.

Drinking Water

Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how many bottles of water for consumption  (a) in restaurants and cafeterias and  (b) elsewhere on the parliamentary estate were purchased by the House in each of the last five years; and what the cost was in each year.

Nick Harvey: It is not possible to answer this question in the precise terms asked by the hon. Member as water was purchased by the former House of Commons Refreshment Department for sale in all its outlets, not just for consumption in its restaurants and cafeterias. In total, the Refreshment Department purchased bottled water in each of the last five years as follows:
	
		
			  Table (a): Bottled Water Purchases 
			   Number of  b ottles 
			  (a) Refreshment Department outlets  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 330ml bottles 19,176 0 0 0 0 
			 500ml bottles 151,996 159,936 158,712 171,648 164,760 
			 750ml bottles 180 16,716 336 0 0 
			 1 Litre bottles 70,941 53,854 47,435 55,608 71,664 
			   
			 Total (Litres) 153,402 146,359 127,043 141,432 154,044 
			   
			 Total cost () (1)58,832 (1)55,895 47,820 53,188 53,100 
			 (1) Including committee rooms. 
		
	
	The figures for 2002-03 and 2003-04 in table (a) include water issued by the Refreshment Department to the former Serjeant at Arms' Department for use in the committee rooms, as no record of the quantities transferred is available for these two years. Figures for the last three years exclude water supplied to the Serjeant at Arms' Department for use in the committee rooms, as this consumption is listed separately in table (b) as follows.
	It should also be noted that the figures in table (a) include water sold to meetings and conferences held on the first floor of Portcullis House, which was supplied by the Refreshment Department. No separate figure is available for this consumption.
	In addition to water supplied to the committee rooms by the Serjeant at Arms' Department, a number of House of Commons departments purchased bottled water for dispensers located in staff offices and communal areas. The number of bottles purchased for offices has been estimated on the basis of the annual expenditure cost, taking an average unit price to calculate the approximate number of bottles.
	
		
			  Table (b): Bottled Water Purchases 
			   Number of  b ottles 
			  (b) Other areas  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Committee Rooms: 1 Litre bottles (1) (1) 32,432 23,557 33,502 
			 Cost ()   12,000 8,716 12,395 
			   
			 Offices: 18.5 Litre bottles (estimated) n/a 430 620 507 581 
			 Cost ()  5,165 7,449 6,095 6,988 
			   
			 Total cost () n/a (2)5,165 15,806 14,811 19,383 
			 (1) Included in table (a).  (2) Plus committee rooms. 
		
	
	The figures quoted in the table exclude any purchases of bottled water made by the House of Lords for consumption on the parliamentary estate.

Drinking Water

Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how many bottles of water were purchased by Departments of the House for consumption other than in restaurants and cafeterias in the last 12 months; what the cost was; and if the Commission will make it their policy to replace bottled water with tap water in  (a) Westminster Hall,  (b) committee rooms and  (c) other meeting rooms.

Nick Harvey: In the last complete financial year, 2006-07, approximately 44,250 litres of water (33,502 x one litre bottles and 581 x 18.5 litre bottles) were purchased by the House for consumption other than in restaurants and cafeterias, at a cost of 19,383. The Administration Committee last considered the issue of the provision of drinking water in Committee and meeting rooms on 13 March 2007 and agreed to recommend that the current practice of supplying bottled mineral water to Committee rooms should continue. I understand that the Department of Facilities is re-examining the issue with the intention of offering further advice to the Committee.

TRANSPORT

A358: M5

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what meetings  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials from her Department and its agencies have had with representatives from Somerset county council to discuss the proposed loop road to link the A358 and the M5 at Blackbrook;
	(2)  when her Department or its agencies first discussed the proposed loop road between the A358 and the M5 at Blackbrook with Somerset county council;
	(3)  when she expects work to commence on the loop road joining the A358 and M5 at Blackbrook.

Tom Harris: Highways Agency records show that between December 2005 and March 2007 agency officials met with representatives of Somerset county council on at least nine occasions at regular intervals to discuss progress with the general design and layout of the A303/A358 South Petherton to Taunton M5 scheme.
	The loop road at Blackbrook was first identified as an option for the M5 northbound off-slip by the Highways Agency in February 2006 and discussed with Somerset county officials early in the summer of 2006.
	Work on the scheme is currently on hold while my Department and the South West region discuss the implications of the recent Stonehenge announcement for the wider strategy for improving the A303/A358 corridor to the M5 at Taunton. It is too early to say what the outcome of these discussions will be.

A47

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether any proposals for sound attenuation in respect of traffic and carriageway noise on the A47 in the Peterborough area exist; and if she will make a statement.

Tom Harris: There are currently no specific plans for sound attenuation in respect of traffic and carriageway noise on the A47 in the Peterborough area. However, resurfacing of sections of the A47 in the Peterborough area are planned for 2008-09, and low noise surfacing material will be used.

A47

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Highways Agency intends to utilise whisper quiet sound attenuation technology as part of resurfacing in respect of  (a) its planned maintenance programme and ( b) any discrete projects, on the A47 in the Peterborough area; and if she will make a statement.

Tom Harris: Since 1999, it has been the Highways Agency's policy to use low-noise surfacing materials for all new roads and when resurfacing existing roads.
	Planned re-surfacing works for 2008-09 include sections of the A47 between J16-J15 west-bound and sections of the A47 from J15 west-bound towards Castor.

A47

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent measurements of sound levels from traffic noise and carriageway have been undertaken on the A47 by the Highways Agency between Milton Park and Eye in the Peterborough area; and if she will make a statement.

Tom Harris: The Highways Agency has not recently undertaken any measurements of noise levels between Milton Park and Eye in the Peterborough area.
	After local complaints a study was undertaken by Peterborough city council in 2005 near the A47 Trunk Road. This was deemed to be unsuitable by the Agency as it omitted certain essential information for determining its status as a Hazard site.
	In October/November 2005, the Highways Agency's Managing Agent took noise readings at Eye on the A47. This section of the A47 in Peterborough was identified due to a number of complaints of excessive traffic noise received from the local residents associations. A roadside decibel level of 79.12 was recorded. This location therefore did not meet the required roadside decibel threshold of 80, and no further study work was undertaken.

Aviation

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport at how many international airports in the UK Boeing 747 aeroplanes may not land due to the length of the runway.

Jim Fitzpatrick: This is a matter for the Civil Aviation Authority, as the UK's independent aviation regulator. I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

Bus Services: Contracts

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what plans she has to alter the tendering process for bus-operated rail replacement services;
	(2)  whether she has received complaints from bus operators on the tendering process for rail replacement bus contracts.
	(3)  how much Network Rail has spent on rail replacement bus services in each of the last five years;
	(4)  how many train operating companies  (a) own and  (b) are owned by a bus operating company;
	(5)  how many train operating companies share a parent company with a bus operating company;
	(6)  what recent meetings she has had to discuss the tendering process for rail replacement bus contracts.

Tom Harris: The Department of Transport does not have any role in specifying the tendering process for bus-operated rail replacement rail services. Train operators are responsible for securing alternatives for rail services, should it not be possible to operate the specified rail service in full.

Departmental Travel

Julian Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many journeys were taken on Eurostar by staff of her Department in each of the last three years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 28 January 2008,  Official Report, columns 43-4W, on departmental telephone services, which of the telephone numbers used by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency are premium rate; and how much has been raised in respect of calls to these lines in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) offers Premium Rate Driving Licence check and vehicle check telephone service to verify driver and vehicle details and an additional Date of Liability line which provides information on the expiry of the current tax disc. Calls to these services are charged at 49p per minute.
	The vehicle check service is now offered via the web free of charge and call volumes have dropped by 90 per cent. over the last 18 months. DVLA is looking to pilot a web service for the driving licence check later this year.
	Income for the first 11 months of 2007-08 is 611,702.53.

Great Western Trains

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to her written ministerial statement of 26 February 2008, on First Great Western, 
	(1)  on what dates First Great Western are required  (a) to present their Remedial Plan to her Department and  (b) to publish their Remedial Plan;
	(2)  how long her Department has been working on the Remedial Plan with First Great Western.

Tom Harris: Prior to 26 February, the Department had been discussing the contents of a possible Remedial Plan to be issued by First Great Western in response to the Remedial Plan Notice.
	The Department for Transport has been discussing the Remedial Plan itself with First Great Western since 28 February 2008, which is the date on which First Great Western was required to submit the Remedial Plan to the Department for Transport. First Great Western is not required to publish the Remedial Plan.
	The Remedial Plan is contractualised as a Remedial Agreement, which will be incorporated into the First Great Western franchise agreement. The amended franchise agreement will be available through the Department for Transport's Public Register.

Great Western Trains

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to her written ministerial statement of 26 February 2008,  Official Report, columns 73-4WS, on First Great Western franchise, 
	(1)  if she will put a copy of First Great Western's Remedial Plan in the Library, once it is agreed;
	(2)  if she will place in the Library a copy of  (a) all First Great Western's monthly reports to her Department and  (b) her Department's assessment of their progress against their Joint Improvement Plan and 40-point Recovery Plan.

Tom Harris: These documents are commercially confidential. However, the Remedial Plan is contractualised as a Remedial Agreement, which will be incorporated into the First Great Western franchise agreement. The amended franchise agreement will be available through the Department for Transport's Public Register.

Motorcycles

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many motorcycles of 50cc or under are being used on roads; and what the trend has been in use of these vehicles over the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The number of licensed motorcycles of 50cc or under in Great Britain over the last five years were as follows:
	
		
			  Year end  Number of licensed motorcycles of 50cc or under ( T housand) 
			 2002 166 
			 2003 170 
			 2004 172 
			 2005 163 
			 2006 154

Motorcycles: Accidents

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents there have been involving 16-year-olds driving 50 cc or under motorcycles in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The number of reported personal injury road accidents involving at least one 16-year-old driving a 50 cc or under motorcycle, in 2002 to 2006, are shown in the table.
	
		
			   Number of accidents 
			 2002 1,783 
			 2003 1,876 
			 2004 1,997 
			 2005 1,953 
			 2006 1,947

Railways

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what responsibilities  (a) her Department and  (b) Network Rail has for (i) train path allocations and (ii) network growth.

Tom Harris: Train path allocations are commercial agreements between Network Rail and the train operators, which are independently regulated by the Office of Rail Regulation.
	The Government have set out both the growth they wish to see on the network during the five year review period 2009-10 to 2013-14, and the funds available to pay for meeting that demand. Network Rail and the train operators are developing the detail of how to implement this, subject to independent evaluation by the Office of Rail Regulation.

Railways: Land

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 18 December 2007,  Official Report, column 1438W, on railway track, what consultations her Department held with BRB (Residuary) Ltd before a sale was agreed for each of the areas of land indicated in the answer.

Tom Harris: Prior to disposing of any land in its ownership, BRB (Residuary) Ltd. consults with interested parties, including the Department for Transport in accordance with the guidance that I issued to them in July 2007. Details of that guidance are outlined in my statement to the House of 26 July 2007 and are available in the Library of the House and on BRB(R)'s website at:
	www.brbr.gov.uk

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what assessment her Department has made of the impact on road maintenance costs of allowing heavy goods vehicles weighing up to 60 tonnes; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment her Department has made of the impact on safety of other road users of allowing heavy goods vehicles weighing up to 60 tonnes on the roads; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The impact of such vehicles on safety and road infrastructure is being considered in a study, the report of which should be published in full shortly.

Roads: Safety

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much the Highways Agency spent on safety improvements in each year since 2001, broken down by county; and what the Agency's safety improvement budget is for each of the next three years, broken down by county.

Tom Harris: The Agency cannot identify all monies spent on safety improvements without incurring disproportionate costs to obtain this information.

Rolling Stock

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many useable carriages and units she estimates are held in sidings or depots.

Tom Harris: This is a matter for the rolling stock companies who own the trains, though the Department for Transport is not aware of any substantial quantity of usable rolling stock held off-lease.

Trains

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 6 March 2008,  Official Report, column 2758W, on Intercity Express: consultants, what  (a) benefits and  (b) value for money gains she expects to arise as a result of her Department's detailed involvement in the specification process.

Tom Harris: There is a good business case for the introduction of the Intercity Express Programme (IEP) train on the network's main intercity routes.
	The Intercity Express programme offers better value for money than would otherwise be available from continuing with the current mix of trains, or from pursuing other train options.
	Depending on the total number of routes chosen for deployment, and the tenders from the market, the benefits of the Intercity Express Programme are expected to exceed costs by around 3 billion over the life of the train.

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Academies: Finance

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what method is used for calculating the funding for academies.

Jim Knight: The principle followed is that an academy should be funded at the same level as a maintained school in the same circumstances, so far as circumstances allow. Therefore the largest component of an Academy's General Annual Grant (GAG), the school budget share, is calculated using the relevant local authority's school funding formula, together with the Learning and Skills Council's formula for sixth form provision. Other grants such as School Standards Grant and specialist school funding for which there is a national formula are calculated on the same basis as for maintained schools. Academies have certain additional grants to recognise additional responsibilities. They cannot reclaim value added tax, so a VAT grant is paid; and they also receive a grant based on the local authority's spend per pupil on central services. Start-up grants are also payable in the period after opening, to support the educational transformation required of an academy.

Children in Care: General Certificate of Secondary Education

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of children in care obtained A* to C GCSE grades in  (a) English and  (b) mathematics in each of the last 10 years.

Kevin Brennan: We do not collect information about the numbers of looked after children who achieve A*-C GCSE grades in English or mathematics separately. However, these data are available at a local level enabling local authorities to set targets for the attainment of looked after children at key stage 4 which include English and mathematics, These targets are negotiated with the National Strategies and Government offices and form a statutory part of a local authority's local area agreement.
	As our Care Matters programme demonstrates we are committed to improving the education of looked after children. At national level the DCSF is matching data on looked after children to the National Pupil Database (NPD), which provides a wide range of data on the educational attainment of children and young people. From 2009 an initial analysis of looked after children to attainment data along with a range of other data will be available, including English and mathematics at GCSE.
	Data collected since 2000 and published in 'Outcome indicators for looked after children twelve months to 30 September', show the percentage of children who were looked after for at least 12 months achieving five GCSEs (or equivalent) at grades A*-C. Data for England are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Number and percentage of children who are looked after continuously for at  least  12 months in year  11 who achieved five A*-  C GCSE grades (or equivalent)( 1) , 12 months ending 30 September 2000-06, England 
			   Number  Percentage( 2) 
			 2000 300 7.3 
			 2001 330 8.0 
			 2002 320 7.5 
			 2003 400 8.7 
			 2004 450 9.4 
			 2005 510 10.8 
			 2006 600 11.8 
			 (1) Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. (2) Expressed as a percentage of all looked after children in Year 11.  Source: OC2 Survey

Children in Care: Pupil Exclusions

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children in care were permanently excluded from school in each of the last 10 years.

Kevin Brennan: Data collected since 2000 and published in 'Outcome Indicators for Looked After Children Twelve Months to 30 September', show the number and percentage of children who were looked after for at least 12 months and who were permanently excluded from school. Data for England are shown in the table. Information prior to 2000 was not collected.
	
		
			  Number and percentage of children who are looked after continuously for at least 12 months who have been permanently excluded( 1, 2) , England 
			  12 months ending 30 September 2000 to 2006  Number  Percentage 
			 2000 500 1.5 
			 2001 450 1.3 
			 2002 420 1.2 
			 2003 380 1.1 
			 2004 320 0.9 
			 2005 310 0.9 
			 2006 280 0.8 
			 (1) Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.  (2) If a child was permanently excluded more than once in the previous year, each occasion has been counted.  (3) Expressed as a percentage of the number eligible for full-time schooling.   Source:  OC2 Survey. 
		
	
	Latest statutory guidance on exclusions advises that looked after children should be excluded from school only as a last resort and that schools in conjunction with the local authority should first consider alternative options for supporting the child or young person. Local authorities are under a duty to arrange suitable full-time education from the sixth day of exclusion for all permanently excluded children. The guidance makes clear the Government's view that for looked after children alternative provision should be arranged from the first day of exclusion.

Children: Population

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children  (a) under 12,  (b) under 10 and  (c) under seven years were living in the UK in each year since 1997, broken down by region; and what forecast he has made of the numbers in each group living in the UK in each year to 2011, broken down by region.

Angela Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 25 March 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your question regarding how many children (a) under 12, (b) under 10 and (c) under seven years were living in the UK in each year since 1997, broken down by region; and what forecast have been made of the numbers in each group living in the UK in each year to 2011, broken down by region. (176689)
	Table 1 shows population estimates for the requested age groups for each Government Office Region within England and for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland for the years 1997-2006. The latest population estimates available are for mid-2006.
	Table 2 shows the latest (2006-based) national population projections for the requested age groups for the UK and constituent countries for the years 2007-2011.
	Table 3 shows the 2004-based subnational population projections for the requested age groups for each Government Office Region within England for the years 2007-2011. Please note that they are not directly comparable with the latest (2006-based) national projections. 2006-based subnational projections are due to be published in June 2008.
	
		
			  Table 1: Mid-year population estimates by UK country and government office region, 1997-2006 
			  Thousand 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			  (a) Children aged 0-11 
			 United Kingdom 9,096 9,058 9,010 8,904 8,787 8,679 8,578 8,505 8,464 8,445 
			
			 England 7,583 7,561 7,531 7,450 7,356 7,271 7,192 7,136 7,107 7,096 
			 North-east 395 388 380 373 366 359 352 345 341 338 
			 North-West 1,085 1,073 1,059 1,041 1,023 1,004 987 972 962 956 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 785 779 771 759 749 738 727 720 716 712 
			 East midlands 636 633 632 625 618 612 604 599 595 593 
			 West midlands 843 838 831 820 808 797 786 779 776 773 
			 East 814 816 820 815 807 801 797 794 793 792 
			 London 1,129 1,138 1,133 1,123 1,109 1,102 1,098 1,095 1,101 1,110 
			 South-east 1,196 1,197 1,204 1,197 1,187 1,175 1,165 1,159 1,155 1,155 
			 South-west 700 700 701 696 690 682 677 672 669 666 
			
			 Wales 448 445 441 436 431 424 418 413 408 405 
			 Scotland 757 748 738 724 711 698 685 677 671 666 
			 Northern Ireland 307 304 300 295 290 286 282 279 278 278 
			
			  (b) Children aged 0-9 
			 United Kingdom 7,583 7,516 7,457 7,355 7,217 7,103 7,036 6,999 6,984 6,986 
			
			 England 6,332 6,282 6,239 6,158 6,045 5,956 5,906 5,880 5,871 5,877 
			 North-east 326 319 313 306 298 290 285 281 279 278 
			 North-west 901 886 872 855 834 814 803 795 791 789 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 653 645 637 625 612 601 594 591 589 587 
			 East midlands 529 524 521 514 504 498 493 490 488 488 
			 West midlands 701 694 687 675 661 650 645 641 641 640 
			 East 681 678 680 675 665 658 655 654 654 654 
			 London 959 961 955 945 931 924 922 924 932 942 
			 South-east 1,001 997 999 991 977 963 956 953 951 954 
			 South-west 582 578 576 571 563 557 553 550 547 546 
			
			 Wales 371 367 363 358 352 345 340 337 334 332 
			 Scotland 626 617 609 597 582 568 558 553 550 548 
			 Northern Ireland 253 250 246 243 238 234 232 229 229 229 
			
			  (c) Children aged 0-6 
			 United Kingdom 5,258 5,179 5,107 5,027 4,935 4,871 4,831 4,807 4,810 4,840 
			
			 England 4,396 4,333 4,277 4,216 4,140 4,090 4,062 4,046 4,053 4,083 
			 North-east 224 218 211 205 200 196 193 191 190 191 
			 North-west 619 604 588 576 563 554 548 543 543 545 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 451 442 433 424 416 410 405 403 403 405 
			 East midlands 365 357 353 348 . 342 338 335 334 334 336 
			 West midlands 484 475 467 460 451 446 443 440 441 443 
			 East 473 469 468 464 456 451 449 448 449 451 
			 London 686 685 678 670 660 659 659 661 670 684 
			 South-east 695 689 687 680 669 659 655 654 653 657 
			 South-west 399 395 393 389 384 378 375 373 371 371 
			
			 Wales 255 250 246 242 239 234 231 228 226 226 
			 Scotland 434 425 415 404 393 385 379 376 375 375 
			 Northern Ireland 174 171 169 166 163 161 159 156 156 157 
			  Note: Figures may not add due to rounding.  Sources: Office for National Statistics, General Register Office for Scotland and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: 2006-based national mid-year population projections for UK countries 2007-11 
			  Thousand 
			   2007  2008  2009  2010  2011 
			  (a) Children aged 0-11 
			 United Kingdom 8,482 8,529 8,581 8,662 8,761 
			 England 7,136 7,184 7,239 7,317 7,411 
			 Wales 403 403 402 403 406 
			 Scotland 665 664 663 663 665 
			 Northern Ireland 278 278 278 279 280 
			   
			  (b) Children aged 0-9 
			 United Kingdom 7,022 7,082 7,166 7,279 7,413 
			 England 5,916 5,975 6,055 6,160 6,283 
			 Wales 330 330 332 335 339 
			 Scotland 547 547 548 552 557 
			 Northern Ireland 229 229 230 232 235 
			   
			  (c) Children aged 0-6 
			 United Kingdom 4,928 5,036 5,155 5,264 5,354 
			 England 4,164 4,262 4,369 4,466 4,547 
			 Wales 227 230 234 239 242 
			 Scotland 379 383 389 394 397 
			 Northern Ireland 159 161 163 166 168 
			  Note: Figures may not add due to rounding.  Source: Office for National Statistics 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: 2004-based subnational mid-year population projections by English regions 2007-11 
			  Thousand 
			   2007  2008  2009  2010  2011 
			  (a) Children aged 0-11 
			 North-east 334 331 328 326 325 
			 North-west 952 948 941 939 938 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 711 709 707 707 708 
			 East midlands 594 593 591 591 591 
			 West midlands 770 768 764 762 762 
			 East 794 794 793 793 795 
			 London 1,112 1,117 1,120 1,126 1,133 
			 South-east 1,149 1,146 1,143 1,141 1,141 
			 South-west 664 662 658 656 654 
			   
			  (b) Children aged 0-9 
			 North-east 274 272 271 271 271 
			 North-west 783 781 780 780 784 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 586 585 586 589 594 
			 East midlands 488 488 488 490 493 
			 West midlands 636 634 634 635 638 
			 East 655 655 656 660 664 
			 London 942 947 955 964 975 
			 South-east 948 946 945 947 951 
			 South-west 543 541 539 539 541 
			   
			  (c) Children aged 0-6 
			 North-east 190 190 191 191 190 
			 North-west 545 548 551 552 550 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 408 412 416 419 419 
			 East midlands 338 340 343 345 345 
			 West midlands 443 446 449 450 449 
			 East 455 459 463 465 466 
			 London 687 698 706 711 712 
			 South-east 657 660 665 668 667 
			 South-west 371 372 375 376 376 
			 Source: Office for National Statistics

Children's Fund

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what projects are funded by the Children's Fund.

Beverley Hughes: The Department does not collect this level of information centrally. Day to day management of the fund rests with the 149 Children's Fund Partnerships.

Departmental Data Protection

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether confidential or personal information has been compromised through the loss of property from his Department and its predecessor since 1997.

Kevin Brennan: Except in exceptional cases, when it is in the public interest, it has been the policy of successive governments not to comment on breaches of security. However, following the publication of the Data Handling Procedures in Government: Interim Progress Report on 17 December 2007,  Official Report, column 98WS, all Departments will cover information assurance issues in their annual reports.

Departmental Official Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the cost was of overnight accommodation for  (a) civil servants,  (b) special advisers and  (c) Ministers in his Department staying overnight in (i) mainland Great Britain, (ii) Northern Ireland, (iii) the Republic of Ireland and (iv) other countries in the last 12 months.

Kevin Brennan: The Information is not available in the form requested and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost
	I can, however, confirm that the total cost of overnight accommodation for my Department and the Department of Innovation and Skills (DIUS) in the last 12 months is 981,189. This is made up of:
	970,208 mainland Great Britain and Northern Ireland;
	364 Republic of Ireland; and
	10,617 other countries.

Departmental Property

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what property was lost or stolen from his Department and its predecessor since 1997; and what the cost of replacement was.

Kevin Brennan: The information you require is as follows:
	
		
			  Item  Number  Total approximate value () 
			  2007/08   
			 Blackberry 6 1,320 
			 Laptop PC 12 9,600 
			 Mobile Telephone 2 80 
			
			  2006/07   
			 Sat Nav system 1 (stolen from a van) 342.98 
			 Laptop PC 9 7,200 
			 PDA 1 180 
			 Blackberry 3 440 
			 Mobile Telephone 1 40 
			 Laptop Power Cable 1 25 
			
			  2005/06   
			 Conference Telephone 1 240 
			 Official Car 1 (stolen and crashed) 22,550.46 
			 Laptop PC 19 15,200 
			 PC Base Unit 1 600 
			 Mobile Telephone 3 120 
			
			  2004/05   
			 Digital camera 1 300 
			 Projector 1 700 
			 Laptop PC 37 49,083.46 
			 Wireless Router 1 100 
			 PDA 3 350 
			 PC Base unit 3 1,800 
			 Mobile Telephone 6 200 
			 Scanner Cable 1 20 
			
			  2003/04   
			 Data Projector 2 5,520 
			 Laptop PC 8 10,621.64 
			 Digital Voice Recorder 1 100 
			 Desk Telephone 1 113.40 
			 PC Chips 94 2,820 
			 Mobile Telephone 7 640 
			 Wall Clock 1 10 
			 PC Carrying Case 1 5 
			
			  2002/03   
			 Mobile Telephone 4 410 
			 Digital Camera 1 200 
			 Headphones 1 10 
			
			  2001/02   
			 Video Telephone 1 200 
			 Laptop PC 3 3,000 
			 Mobile Telephone 2 200 
			 Chair 1 80 
			 Telephone Charger 1 25 
			 Dictaphone 1 40 
			
			  2000/01   
			 Laptop PC 2 2,000 
			 Palm Pilot PG 1 300 
			 Nokia WAP Telephone 1 200 
			 Mobile Telephone and Charger 1 100 
			
			  1999/2000   
			 Laptop PC 5 5,000 
			 Palmtop PC 1 250 
			 PC Processing Unit 2 2,000 
			 Mobile Telephone 1 60 
			
			  1998/99   
			 Laptop PC 7 7,000 
			 Palmtop PC 1 250 
			 PC Chips From 205 PCs 86,831 
			
			  1997/98   
			 Laptop PC 5 5,000 
			 Printer 2 600 
			 PC Chips 4 500 
			 PC Hard Drive 1 900 
			 IT Kit 1.3 13,455 
			 Power Drill 2 290 
			 CCTV Camera 1 1,000 
			 Mobile Telephone 1 200

Departmental Public Expenditure

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of his Department's expenditure was allocated to Government growth areas in the last year for which figures are available.

Kevin Brennan: The four growth areas identified by the Government are made up of district and borough councils. We do not allocate funding directly to this level. Funding is allocated to local authorities who have education and children service responsibilities.

Departmental Travel

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department spent on travel  (a) within and  (b) outside the UK for officials in each of the last 10 years; and what percentage of his Department's overall expenditure was spent on such travel in each such year.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			   Spend for travel outside UK  ()  Spend for travel within UK  ()  Percentage of overall d epartmental spend 
			 2003-04 197,297 5,561,184 0.023 
			 2004-05 167,675 5,444,822 0.021 
			 2005-06 251,630 5,109,929 0.019 
			 2006-07 251,328 5,064,827 0.009

Discrimination

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many claims for discrimination, based on  (a) sex,  (b) race and  (c) sexual orientation, were brought by members of his Department and its predecessor and settled (i) in and (ii) out of court in each of the last five years.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			   Sex  Race  Sexual orientation  Settled in court  Settled out of court 
			 2003 0 0 0 0 0 
			 2004 2 0 0 0 2 
			 2005 2 2 0 1 3 
			 2006 1 0 0 0 1 
			 2007 0 0 0 0 0

Educational Visits

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what percentage of A-level biology students were not offered the opportunity to conduct course-related fieldwork in the school year 1995-96;
	(2)  what percentage of GCSE science students took a residential field trip in the school year 1995-96.

Jim Knight: The Department for Children, Schools and Families does not collect this information broken down by subject and qualification.
	I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 21 February 2008,  Official Report, column 853W.

General Certificate of Secondary Education

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families in which maintained mainstream schools fewer than 30 per cent. of pupils achieved five A*-C GCSEs including English and mathematics in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: This information can be found in the key stage 4 achievement and attainment tables which have been placed in the House Library.

Health Education: Sex

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of sex education in England; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Department has not made an assessment of the effectiveness of sex education in England. However, as part of the Children's Plan we have given a commitment to review best practice in effective sex and relationship (SRE) and how it is delivered in schools. We have listened to young people and recognise that many feel that they do not currently have the knowledge they need to make safe and responsible choices about relationships and sexual health. The review is being overseen by the SRE Review Steering Group which I co-chair alongside a member of the UK Youth Parliament and a member of the National Council for Educational Excellence. We are involving young people fully in the review to make sure that future SRE better their needs.

Local Education Authorities: Finance

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department spent calculating the funding allocations to each local education authority in 2007-08.

Jim Knight: The Department does not hold the information requested.

National Programme for Specialist Leaders of Behaviour and Attendance

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department has spent on the National Programme for Specialist Leaders of Behaviour and Attendance since its inception; and how many teachers have been enrolled on the programme.

Kevin Brennan: The Department has spent about 6 million on the National Programme for Specialist Leaders of Behaviour and Attendance since its development in 2005. A total of 3,877 teachers and other staff have enrolled on the programme to date.

Physical Education: Standards

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidance provided to school sports partnerships on what constitutes high quality physical education and sport;
	(2)  what definition of high quality physical education and sport he uses in relation to schoolchildren;
	(3)  what percentage of schoolchildren participate in two hours of sport during curriculum time;
	(4)  what the average time spent by schoolchildren on sport during curriculum time was in each of the last five years.

Kevin Brennan: The annual PE and School Sport Survey was introduced in 2003/04 and collects data relating to participation in PE and school sport. Over the last four years, pupils in School Sport Partnership schools spent the following average curriculum times on PE in a typical week:
	
		
			   minutes 
			 2003/04 103 
			 2004/05 107 
			 2005/06 111 
			 2006/07 115 
		
	
	In 2006/07, 70 per cent. of the pupils received two hours of curriculum PE in a typical week.
	The annual PE and School Sport Survey is accompanied by guidance to support the completion of the questionnaire. The definition of high quality PE and out of hours school sport is:
	this produces young people with the skills, understanding, desire and commitment to continue to improve and achieve in a range of PE, sport and health-enhancing physical activities, in line with their abilities, as set out in the 'High Quality PE and Sport for Young People' guide
	Copies of the guide 'High Quality PE and Sport for Young People' have been placed in the House Libraries.

Press

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the cost of the press offices of  (a) his Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) its non-departmental public bodies were in each year since 1996-97; what the cost was in each quarter since 1 April 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: The information is as follows:
	 (a) The Department for Children Schools and Families was established in June 2007. We are therefore unable to provide costs prior to April 2007. Information for the current financial year is not yet available.
	 (b) The Department does not have any agencies.
	 (c) We do not hold costs for our non-departmental public bodies.

Pupil Exclusions

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils were excluded from school in each of the last five years.

Kevin Brennan: The available information can be found in Tables 1 and 2 in the Permanent and Fixed Period Exclusions from Schools and Exclusion Appeals in England 2005/06 have been placed in the House Libraries.
	SFR on the Departments website at:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000733/SFR21-2007.pdf
	The fixed period exclusion figures were only collected from 2003/04.

Redundancy: Pay

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 8 October 2007,  Official Report, column 381W, on redundancy pay, how much was spent by his Department on voluntary redundancy payments in the last 12 months prior to 30 June.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested can only be provided in financial years. The total cost of voluntary early release payments for the former Department for Education and Skills (DfES) in the last financial year is as follows:
	
		
			  Financial year  Total cost to DfES ( million) 
			 2006-07 10.553 
		
	
	The former DfES commitment for voluntary early releases in the 2007-08 financial year was 2.591 million.

Schools: Admissions

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will amend the Schools Admissions Code to limit more explicitly its religious content of admissions criteria.

Jim Knight: As announced in the Children's Plan in December 2007, we are reviewing the school application and allocation process and are considering how admissions should be managed as part of that review. We will consult on a range of proposals as a result of this review to further strengthen the admissions system in the summer.
	All admission authorities, including those for maintained faith schools, have to act in accordance with the School Admissions Code and admissions legislation, to ensure fair access for all. Every school must consider all applications and ensure that families are not discouraged from applying.

Schools: Crime

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the effect of crime levels in schools on the decisions prospective students make in determining which school they will attend.

Kevin Brennan: Recent research published by Sheffield Hallam University on secondary school admissions in 2006 (Research Report DCSF-RR020) which included a survey of parents' experiences with the admissions system, indicated that common reasons for parents favouring their preferred secondary school included that the school has a good reputation in the community (40 per cent.) and that the school has good discipline/behaviour (19 per cent.). Reasons for parents not applying to their nearest maintained school included that the school has a poor reputation in the community (38 per cent.) and that the school has a problem with behaviour/discipline (21 per cent.). Both of these reasons could be linked to parents' fears about crime, but we have no direct evidence for this. As the Practitioners' Group on School Behaviour and Discipline has noted, incidents of the most serious misbehaviour in schools remain rare and are carried out by a very small proportion of pupils.

Schools: Culture

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many hours of cultural activity a week are planned to be offered to schoolchildren in school hours.

Jim Knight: The Find Your Talent programme will trial different ways of offering children a range of high quality cultural experiences, including ways of ensuring that all children are able to experience at least five hours a week of cultural activities in and out of school, and provided by a range of partners in addition to schools.
	There is already much cultural activity taking place and the pilots will build on this. Rather than identifying one particular model, the pilots will test a variety of approaches to a cultural offer over the next three years.

Schools: Sports

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which projects have received funding from the Sports Champions Mentoring Programme; and what criteria are being used to assess the effectiveness of this programme.

Kevin Brennan: The information is as follows:
	 Sporting Champions
	Sport England provides 300,000 per year to fund Sporting Champions an initiative which brings world-class athletes face to face with young people to inspire and motivate them to participate in sport.
	The scheme provides around 450 visits per year to community organisations and schools free of charge.
	Evaluation for this work is undertaken by the Sporting Champion and the host organisation after each visit. Longer term impact studies are also undertaken with a sample of visits.
	 Respect Athlete Mentoring Programme
	Between 2005/06 and 2007/08 the Department for Culture Media and Sport has provided over 650,000 to fund the Respect Athlete Mentoring Programme (RAMP). The programme is delivered jointly by Sport England (through its delivery agent, Creating Excellence) and the Youth Sport Trust.
	RAMP uses elite sports people to mentor young people within deprived areas who are at risk of social exclusion.
	The project uses a computer-based data collection programme to collect a range of statistics about the behaviours and attitudes of the young people involved. This is backed up by continuous dialogue and feedback from the mentor.

Secondary Education: Teachers

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what percentage of secondary school teachers of  (a) physics,  (b) chemistry,  (c) biology,  (d) mathematics,  (e) history and  (g) modern languages who qualified in each year since 1992 are teaching full-time.

Jim Knight: The information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Secondary Education: Teaching Methods

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what funding will be provided to secondary schools to introduce small group tuition.

Jim Knight: The Government are committed to every child having access to personalised learning support to ensure every child achieves their potential It is for schools to decide how best to support the progression of their pupils, including the use of small group tuition as part of this. This is why we have given schools the support as well as flexibility of funding to enable these decisions to be taken by school in line with the needs of their pupils. As part of personalising learning for children and young people, the Government are encouraging schools to consider the opportunities to children beyond the school day, and in particular through extended schools. The extended school core offer includes a varied menu of activities for children and young people, with study support as part of this. The Government have committed over 1.3 billion over the next three years to support the development of extended schools, and included in this is funding to support small group tuition in some secondary schools, with funding for this becoming available in 2009-10.

Special Educational Needs

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children  (a) were classified as having special educational needs,  (b) were given a statement of special educational needs and  (c) were classified as having emotional and behavioural difficulties, in each of the last 10 years.

Jim Knight: The number of pupils with special educational needs in the last five years in all schools can be found in table 1a (with statements) and 1b (without statements) of the Statistical First Release 'Special Educational Needs in England, January 2007' available at:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000732/index.shtml.
	Further information on earlier years can be found in table la and 1b of the Statistical Bulletin 'Special Education Needs In England, January 2002', available at:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SBU/b000367/index.shtml.
	The number of maintained mainstream school pupils for whom statements were newly made for the years 1997 to 2006 can be found in the following table.
	
		
			Placement in maintained mainstream schools( 1,2) 
			  Year  Number of children for whom statements were newly made  Number  Percentage 
			 2006 22,600 15,660 69.3 
			 2005 24,040 17,380 72.3 
			 2004 25,990 19,050 73.3 
			 2003 28,780 21,330 74.1 
			 2002 30,720 23,350 76.0 
			 2001 32,470 24,790 76.3 
			 2000 33,750 25,510 75.6 
			 1999 35,420 26,330 74.3 
			 1998 36,180 26,780 74.0 
			 1997 35,650 25,140 70.5 
			 (1) Includes resourced provision/units/special classes in maintained mainstream schools. (2) Includes SEN units in maintained mainstream schools.  Source:  SEN 2 Survey 
		
	
	The number and percentage (from those at School Action Plus or with a statement of SEN) of pupils in maintained primary and secondary schools and all special schools classified as behavioural, emotional and social difficulties as a primary need from 2004-07 can be found in the following table.
	
		
			   Total 
			   Number  Percentage of those at School Action Plus or with a statement of SEN 
			 2007 139,310 22.2 
			 2006 134,800 21.9 
			 2005 128,130 21.4 
			 2004 126,890 21.6 
			  Source: School Census 
		
	
	Data on type of need were not collected prior to 2004.

Specialist Schools and Academies Trust

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what objectives have been set for the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust; what the Trust's costs were in the latest 12 month period for which figures are available; and what proportion of these costs were funded  (a) directly and  (b) indirectly by his Department.

Jim Knight: The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust is an independent, charitable organisation, which receives income from different sources. Details of its costs, and the amount of Government funding paid, can be found in its annual accounts.
	The DCSF funds SSAT through a range of grants and contracts to support the Specialist Schools and Academies programmes and a range of other activities designed to raise pupil achievement. Each programme has separately agreed outcomes, negotiated over varying time-frames, which are subject to appropriate reporting and monitoring procedures. Within each grant and contract funded by the Department, a proportion of funding will cover the associated direct and indirect delivery costs, as appropriate for each programme

Teachers TV: Expenditure

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department spent on Teachers TV in each year since its introduction.

Kevin Brennan: Teachers' TV was launched in February 2005 and aims to help raise standards in classrooms by sharing good practice, supporting continuing professional development, offering classroom resources, and providing education news and information.
	In the channel's first operating year the Department provided funding of 19.9 million, in the second 16 million and 16.7 million in its third year.

Teachers: Training

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what training is provided to teachers involved in providing physical education to schoolchildren.

Kevin Brennan: All teacher trainees for the primary phase learn about PE as part of their initial training. For secondary, teacher trainees who specialise in PE will learn about PE as a major part of their training programme. For experienced teachers, the Training and Development Agency for Schools has a remit to support their continuing professional development Funding for this area is devolved to schools, which are best placed to decide what activities meet the needs of the school and the individual teachers working there. Additional support is available through the PE and School Sport Professional Development Programme which allows schools to draw, free of charge from a menu of resources to help teachers raise the quality of the PE and school sport they provide.

Truancy

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what guidance is issued to schools on the removal of pupils from school rolls after a period of unauthorised absence; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many  (a) primary and  (b) secondary school pupils were removed from school rolls after a period of unauthorised absence in each education authority area in each of the last five years;
	(3)  on how many occasions school pupils were removed from school rolls with no contact having been made with the pupil's parents or carers in each of the last five years;
	(4)  on how many occasions in each local education authority area the police were notified by schools or local education authorities of the non-appearance of an enrolled pupil in each of the last five years;
	(5)  on how many occasions in each local education authority area schools have notified a social services department of the non-appearance of an enrolled pupil in each of the last five years.

Kevin Brennan: Schools' authority to remove pupils from the register is prescribed by the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 (SI 2006/1751) and we have also provided guidance in Keeping Pupil Registers. Under the regulations, schools can delete a pupil only after a period of unauthorised absence if they and their local authority have failed, after reasonable inquiry, to ascertain where the pupil is.
	The regulations require all schools to inform their local authority of any pupil who has amassed 10 continuous school days of unauthorised absence following extended leave, typically a family holiday. Maintained schools must inform their local authority of any pupil who has amassed 20 continuous school days of unauthorised absence at any time. The regulations also require schools to inform their local authority of any deletion when the name of the pupil's new school is unknown. Keeping Pupil Registers has references and electronic links to guidance on other areas such as forced marriages and children missing from education. We would always expect schools to take action where they are concerned about the safety or welfare of a child; and to involve other agencieslocal authority children's social care, and the policeas appropriate, in line with locally agreed safeguarding procedures.
	The statistical information requested is not available centrally.

Young People: Population

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many  (a) 16-year-olds and  (b) 18-year-olds are projected to be living in the UK in each year until 2018.

Angela Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 25 March 2008:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your question regarding the number of  (a) 16-year-olds and  (b) 18-year-olds projected to be living in the United Kingdom in each year to 2018. (173207)
	The table below shows the projected United Kingdom population aged 16 and 18 for each year from 2006 to 2018. The most recent national population projections, based on the population at the middle of 2006, were published by the Office for National Statistics on 23 October 2007.
	
		
			  Projected population aged 16 and 18, United Kingdom, 2006 to 2018 
			  Thousand 
			  Age  16  18 
			 2006 791 809 
			 2007 802 802 
			 2008 789 809 
			 2009 764 820 
			 2010 753 805 
			 2011 737 780 
			 2012 733 770 
			 2013 738 753 
			 2014 720 749 
			 2015 706 754 
			 2016 686 735 
			 2017 671 722 
			 2018 671 702 
			  Source:  2006-based national population projections, ONS

Young People: Research

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when he plans to publish the Next Steps component of the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England.

Jim Knight: holding answer 19 March 2008
	Next Steps is the term by which its participants know the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England (LSYPE).
	Provisional data for LSYPE interviews conducted in 2004 (wave l) were available in October 2006. Revised data from this first wave of interviews were available in October 2007. Provisional data for 2005 (wave 2) was available in January 2008. This did not include some complex elements of the data, for instance on income and benefits. Revised data from wave 2, (which is expected to include information about income and benefits), and provisional data from wave 3 are due to be available later this month.
	Data sets from LSYPE, are released to researchers through a website maintained by the Economic and Social Data Service: http://www.esds.ac.uk/longitudinal/access/lsype/L5545.asp. The data sets are usually available on the website about six weeks after they become available for analysis in the Department.
	An official, statistical publication, covering the first four waves of the study, will be announced as part of the schedule of official publications later this month.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Charities: Bexley

David Evennett: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many organisations in  (a) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and  (b) the London Borough of Bexley have charitable status.

Phil Hope: This is a matter for the Charity Commission as the non-ministerial Government Department responsible for the regulation of charities in England and Wales. The chief executive of the Charity Commission will write to the hon. Member and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agriculture: Disease Control

Patrick McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps are being taken to ensure utility companies maintain good bio-security practice when carrying out works on farmland.

Jonathan R Shaw: Encouraging good bio-security by everyone that enters and leaves farms is something the Government take seriously. DEFRA has published guidance for anyone who enters a farm or premises with farm animals, or enters land used for grazing or keeping farm animals, including specific advice for utility companies. This can be found on the DEFRA website.
	DEFRA has written to all utility companies on its database to remind them of the need to practice good bio-security, and take appropriate precautions when coming into contact with livestock or poultry.

Agriculture: Subsidies

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many and what value of single farm payments were issued by the Rural Payments Agency for between  (a) 60.01 and 80.00,  (b) 80.01 and 100.00,  (c) 100.01 and 120.00,  (d) 120.01 and 150.00 and  (e) 150.01 and 200.00, excluding delayed payments from previous years, in each of the last three years.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 19 March 2008
	The number and value of Single Payment Scheme payments in the bands specified in the question and by scheme year are as follows:
	
		
			   SPS 2005  SPS 2006 
			  Band  Number  Value ()  Number  Value () 
			 60.01 to 80.00 3,555 247,229 2,176 152,302 
			 80.01 to 100.00 2,791 250,448 2,114 190,168 
			 100.01 to 120.00 2,228 244,509 1,748 192,074 
			 120.01 to 150.00 2,832 380,816 2,246 302,151 
			 150.01 to 200.00 3,739 649,383 3,025 527,011 
		
	
	The figures are presented by scheme year to avoid including delayed payments from previous years.
	SPS 2007 payments are still being made and so we cannot provide equivalent figures at this stage.

Animal Welfare: Birds

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what changes have been made to the regulations governing the welfare of birds in the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: Assuming that the hon. Member is referring to birds under the control of man, a significant amount of legislation regarding their welfare has changed in some way in the last 10 years.
	While it is not possible to list every change succinctly, two of the most important changes to the requirements are:
	i. a duty of care for the owners and keepers of all animals, including birds, in the Animal Welfare Act 2006; and
	ii. a ban on the use of conventional cages for laying hens from 2012, in the provisions of the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007.
	Additionally, further changes have been made to improve welfare for birds during transport and at slaughter; these are provided for by the Welfare of Animals (Transport) (England) Order 2006, and six amendments to the Welfare of Animals (Slaughterer Killing) Regulations 1995.
	Similar legislation has also come into force in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Arm's Length Management Organisations: Finance

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 10 March 2008,  Official Report, column 34W, on arm's length management organisations, what funding will be provided by his Department to each of its  (a) arm's length bodies and  (b) gross controlled agencies in 2008-09; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 17 March 2008
	I refer the hon. Gentleman to the following written answers published on 28 February 2008,  Official Report, columns 1853-55W.

Birds: Game

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many birds were killed in sport shooting events in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: My Department does not hold information on how many birds are killed in sport shooting events. The most recent information my Department is aware of is the Public and Corporate Economic Consultants report on Shooting Sports. The report estimates that the total number of game birds and wildfowl shot for sport in the UK in 2004 was just under 19 million, almost four-fifths of these were pheasants and 99 per cent. were destined for the food chain.

Bovine Tuberculosis

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what evidence of the policies of other countries he plans to take into account when making a decision on whether badger culling should form part of his Department's response to outbreaks of bovine TB.

Jonathan R Shaw: In making our decision, we are considering all available evidence, including bovine TB policies in other countries, such as Ireland, New Zealand and Australia, and anything we can learn to help with the situation in England. However, it is important to bear in mind that other countries' experiences are not directly transferable to England because the wildlife population, farming practices and general environment are all different. As a result, while we can learn from other countries' experiences, directly applying such policies here is not possible.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Shropshire

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what compensation payments were made to farmers in Shropshire in respect of cattle destroyed following contraction of bovine tuberculosis in  (a) 2006 and  (b) 2007.

Jonathan R Shaw: A county breakdown of the amount of compensation paid to farmers is not available.

Civil Service Appeal Board

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many and what percentage of appeals by employees of  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies were (i) heard and (ii) upheld by the Civil Service Appeal Board in each of the last 10 years; how much was awarded in compensation by the Board to each successful appellant in each year; what the reason was for each compensation award; how many appellants were reinstated by the Board in each year; and what the reason was for each (A) dismissal and (B) reinstatement.

Jonathan R Shaw: The information requested could be provided only by incurring disproportionate cost.

Dangerous Dogs Act 1991

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he plans to revise the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 10 March 2008,  Official Report, column 36W.

Departmental Carbon Emissions

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he has taken to reduce his Department's carbon dioxide emissions in 2008-09.

Jonathan R Shaw: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs can confirm that DEFRA is working in partnership with the Carbon Trust and industry experts to deliver carbon emissions reductions. A number of initiatives are currently being implemented through its carbon management and energy efficiency programmes. DEFRA is the first Government Department to receive energy efficiency accreditation for its core and Executive agency estate.
	Through site level benchmarking, monitoring and targeting of energy consumption, DEFRA has built up a site by site data set of its energy use and has identified opportunities for significant carbon reductions across its network estate over the next three years.
	Initiatives already undertaken include: installation of voltage optimisation technologies (powerPerfector(TM)); energy efficient lighting technologies; insulation and draught proofing and feasibility studies for renewable energy technologies. A fully costed investment programme has been agreed to enable savings to be delivered that are required to meet cross-Government sustainability targets (2010 and 2020).

Departmental Data Protection

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether confidential or personal information has been compromised through the loss of property from his Department since 1997.

Jonathan R Shaw: Except in exceptional cases, when it is in the public interest, it has been the policy of successive Governments not to comment on breaches of security. However, following the publication of the Data Handling Procedures in Government: Interim Progress Report on 17 December 2007,  Official Report , column 98WS, all Departments will cover information assurance issues in their annual reports.

Departmental Impact Assessments

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many regulatory impact assessments his Department has conducted in the last 12 months.

Jonathan R Shaw: Information on impact assessments (IAs) is published on DEFRA's website at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/regulat/impact-assessment/index.htm
	The Department published 19 consultations in 2007 which included a draft or partial regulatory impact assessment (RIA)/IA. For the same period, DEFRA published 51 final RIAs/IAs to support orders laid in Parliament. Information on the final RIAs/IAs published between 1 January and 30( )June 2007 can also be found in Command Paper 7297, available at:
	http://bre.berr.gov.uk/regulation/ria/regulatory_reporting/index.asp
	For DEFRA, 33 RIAs/IAs have been listed.
	Departments are in the process of identifying the final RIAs/IAs published between 1 July and 31 December 2007 for the next Command Paper.
	From April 2008, all final IAs will be published on a central BERR/BRE website.
	In accordance with BERR guidance, impact assessments are not required where policy changes will not lead to costs or savings for businesses, the public, third sector organisations, regulators or consumers. Nor are they required where changes to statutory fees or taxes are covered by a predetermined formula. It is also standard practice not to produce impact assessments where emergency legislation is concerned.

Departmental Older Workers

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people over the age of 55 have been recruited by his Department in each of the last three years.

Jonathan R Shaw: The civil service statistics are collected by ONS from the Annual Civil Service Employment Survey (formerly Mandate) and the latest published statistics are for the year to 30 September 2006.
	The information requested is shown in the following table. All figures are headcount.
	
		
			  Headcount 
			   2006  2005  2004 
			 Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (excluding agencies) 0 0 30 
			 Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (1) 0 (1) 
			 Central Science Laboratory 10 (1) (1) 
			 Government Decontamination Services n/a n/a n/a 
			 Marine Fisheries Agency n/a n/a n/a 
			 Pesticides Safety Directorate n/a n/a n/a 
			 Rural Payments Agency n/a n/a n/a 
			 State Veterinary Service n/a n/a n/a 
			 Veterinary Laboratories Agency 0 0 10 
			 Veterinary Medicines Directorate n/a n/a n/a 
			 n/a = data not available (1) Numbers are rounded to the nearest 10, and numbers less than five are represented by .  Note: Entrants are based on Department Date of Entry.

Departmental Retirement

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the effect on the public purse will be as a result of the operation of his Department's voluntary retirement scheme.

Jonathan R Shaw: Based on overall departmental gross pay bill costs the estimated net savings from the voluntary early retirement and severance schemes in the current year and over the next three years will be:
	
		
			   million 
			   VER  VES  Total 
			 2007-08 4.8 5.2 10 
			 2008-09 8.45 8.75 17.2 
			 2009-10 8.8 9.00 17.8 
			 2010-11 9.1 9.4 18.5

Departmental Sick Pay

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost of sickness pay to staff within his Department was in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Jonathan R Shaw: For the period 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2007, the total cost of sick pay for all staff in core DEFRA and those executive agencies covered by the core Department's terms and conditions (i.e. Animal Health, Marine and Fisheries Agency, Veterinary Medicines Directorate, Pesticides Safety Directorate and Government Decontamination Service) was 3,376,240.

Dogs

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many charges have been brought against owners of dogs that attacked postmen in each of the last three years; and how many prosecutions were successful.

Jonathan R Shaw: The information requested is not held by DEFRA or the Ministry of Justice.
	Data from the court proceedings database held by the Ministry of Justice are unable to separately identify details of the victims of crime, as this level of detail is not held on their database, unless it is specified in either the statute or offence description.

Dogs: Electric Shock Equipment

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will meet representatives of the Kennel Club to discuss the use of electric shock collars on dogs.

Jonathan R Shaw: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State recently met with representatives of the Kennel Club, and the use of electric shock collars was discussed. There are no further plans to meet the Kennel Club at present.

Facilities Management

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect that outsourcing of his Department's facilities management infrastructure will have on his Department's staff.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 14 March 2008
	As part of the consultation process under the project, an impact assessment has been undertaken, in accordance with departmental guidelines.
	Furthermore, as the negotiations with bidders proceed, the welfare of any staff who may be impacted by Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations will be of paramount importance to the programme and further assessments will be undertaken.

Facilities Management

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he expects to make a decision to outsource his Department's facilities management infrastructure.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 14 March 2008
	The Department's existing FM infrastructure is delivered through five regional contracts with the private sector.
	The current re-procurement project which incorporates the existing FM infrastructure is expect to be concluded by October 2008, the commencement of such contract to be April 2009.

Farms: Inspections

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost to the public purse of farm inspections was in each of the last five years, broken down by inspection agency.

Jonathan R Shaw: The cost of all on-farm work (covering all types of visit, and not restricted to those classed as inspections) by Animal Health (AH) for 2005-07 are broken down in the following table:
	
		
			   State Veterinary Service( 1)  Animal Health( 1) 
			   2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Total expenditure () 109,745,000 98,465,000 109,864,000 
			 Proportion of total as on- farm work (percentage) 82 81 65 
			 Estimated cost () 89,991,000 79,757,000 71,412,000 
			 (1) These figures include the cost of the Egg Marketing Inspectorate and the Dairy Hygiene Inspectorate. 
		
	
	These calculations represent the full costs of on farm work, including back office costs and inspections. Costs for only inspections cannot be separated. Disease outbreak costs are not included in farm work nor abattoir visits.
	Prior to 2005 costs are not available as the State Veterinary Service (SVS) did not exist as an agency. The cost to the public purse of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate inspections is nil, as these are part of a charged for service.

Fisheries: Inspections

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent training inspectors that monitor fish landings in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: This information is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	However, regular training is provided to staff.
	MFA British Sea Fisheries Officers undertake a comprehensive programme of training on both legal and practical issues before receiving their BSFO warrants. Further training is provided where identified and as necessary. These officers also undertake the three week course with the RN to act as mentors and to prepare themselves as training officers for the RN 'on the job training'.
	RN officers undertake a three week course on fisheries legislation prior to appointment to their ships and once within the squadron receive 'on the job' training from an experienced MFA officer.

Food: Poverty

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people were in food poverty in each of the last three years, broken down by region.

Jonathan R Shaw: Responsibility for issues concerning poverty do not lie with DEFRA. Therefore, we do not hold the information requested.

Food: Procurement

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the rising global demand for food products on the UK's ability to secure domestic food supplies;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effects of rising food costs on  (a) food security,  (b) food poverty and  (c) international food programmes.

Jonathan R Shaw: Food security is about ensuring consumers have access to a stable and adequate supply of food. This requires effective risk management and contingency planning, security of our energy supplies, access to food from a variety of sources and a strong food chain and infrastructure.
	The UK currently enjoys a high level of food security, however, we are not complacent and we will continue to monitor the key indicators of our food security.
	Responsibility for issues concerning poverty and international development do not lie with DEFRA.

Food: Wastes

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how much food entered the waste stream in each of the last three years;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effects of food waste from domestic sources on landfill capacity in the last three years.

Joan Ruddock: Research carried out by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) estimates that around 6.7 million tonnes of food waste is generated by UK households each year, the equivalent of one third of food bought, or 8 billion worth of produce. A similar amount is produced by businesses, particularly the food manufacturing and retail sectors.
	No assessment has been made of the effects of food waste from domestic sources on landfill capacity in the last three years, although approximately 5.25 million tonnes of municipal food waste is sent to landfill in the UK each year.

Food: Wastes

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Waste and Resources Action Programme in encouraging supermarkets to take steps to reduce food waste.

Joan Ruddock: Signatories to the 2006 Courtauld Commitment between major food and drink retailers, manufacturers and the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) agreed to support WRAP's business plan target of securing 100,000 tonnes/year of household food waste reduction by March this year. WRAP is currently assessing the programme's success and new targets are being drawn up which extend to 2011.
	As part of the strategy for delivering this reduction, WRAP and its partners are also running a 'Love Food Hate Waste' campaign. This campaign is being delivered in partnership with the WI, local authorities, the UK grocery sector, food industry, Government and organisations such as the Food Standards Agency. Its aim is to help people get the most from the food they buy, and waste less of it.

Freedom of Information: Personal Records

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what mechanisms his Department has in place to maintain the separation of personal data from the information required by section 40 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: Guidance for staff makes clear that rights of access to personal information under the Freedom of Information Act are limited by the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998.
	If in any doubt staff can consult the departmental data protection officers who form part of our access to information team.
	A training day for FOI practitioners in the Department and its agencies was held on 7 March with specific focus on the operation of Section 40.

Geographical Information Systems

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which Government Departments and agencies will have access to the Shared Spatial Information Service.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Shared Spatial Information Service is currently accessible to DEFRA and all members of the wider DEFRA Delivery Network including DEFRA Executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies.
	Access has also been provided to a number of other Government Departments with mutual interests in data sharing and to Government offices.
	The SPIRE ownership group will be reviewing the access policy during 2008 in anticipation of the broader requirements for sharing spatial data arising from the EC INSPIRE directive.

Hearing Impaired

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what provision is made for deaf people to access services provided by his Department through call centres.

Jonathan R Shaw: The DEFRA helpline, the Pet Travel Scheme and the Environment Agency's inquiries services all provide minicom/textphone facilities, as well as offering e-mail and postal contact addresses. Comprehensive website material is also available in each case.
	The Rural Payments Agency's (RPA) customer contact centre does not have a minicom/textphone, but e-mail and postal address are available, and there is a comprehensive website for Single Payment Scheme and livestock traceability work. The RPA also carries out regular mail-shots and there are drop-in centres at each of the Agency's sites and facilities for customers to authorise a third party agent to represent them.
	Natural England is able to take text-type calls via a service offered by the Royal National Institute for the Deaf. The Government Decontamination Service does not offer a minicom service but provides an e-mail address on its website and on any published material. The Consumer Council for Water does provide a minicom/textphone service.

Home Energy Efficiency Scheme

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many vulnerable households with  (a) children of zero to four years of age,  (b) children of five to 16 years,  (c) people in receipt of disability living allowance and  (d) people over the age of 60 were assisted under the Warm Front Grant scheme in the financial years (i) 2003-04, (ii) 2004-05, (iii) 2005-06, (iv) 2006-07 and (v) 2007-08, broken down by local authority area.

Phil Woolas: I have arranged for the information requested to be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Home Energy Efficiency Scheme: Expenditure

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent on administration of the Warm Front grant scheme by  (a) the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs,  (b) EAGA plc and  (c) local authorities in (i) 2003-04, (ii) 2004-05, (iii) 2005-06, (iv) 2006-07 and (v) 2007-08.

Phil Woolas: Warm Front is administered by EAGA plc, as part of their contracted duties as Scheme Manager.
	The costs incurred by EAGA in performing this administration are commercially sensitive, and therefore cannot be provided.
	DEFRA does not hold information on the value of any administrative costs spent by local authorities on Warm Front.

Home Energy Efficiency Scheme: Finance

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total budget was for the Warm Front Grant scheme in the financial years  (a) 2003-04,  (b) 2004-05,  (c) 2005-06,  (d) 2006-07 and  (e) 2007-08, broken down by local authority area.

Phil Woolas: The total Warm Front budget for the years requested is outlined as follows:
	
		
			  Scheme year  Approximate total spend/budget ( million) 
			 2003-04 164 
			 2004-05 166 
			 2005-06 192 
			 2006-07 320 
			 2007-08 350 
		
	
	Because Warm Front is a national scheme, budgets are not allocated to individual local authority areas.

Home Energy Efficiency Scheme: Finance

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent on the Warm Front scheme in each year since its inception; and what funding has been allocated to the scheme in each of the next three years.

Phil Woolas: Warm Front spend since the scheme's inception in 2000 is as follows:
	
		
			  Scheme year  Approximate total spend/budget (  million ) 
			 2000-01 72 
			 2001-02 197 
			 2002-03 163 
			 2003-04 164 
			 2004-05 166 
			 2005-06 192 
			 2006-07 320 
			 2007-08 350 
		
	
	Warm Front's budget for the 2008-11 period is approximately 800 million. However, the yearly breakdown over this period has not yet been finalised.

Housing: Energy

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether spending on the Green Homes Service will be additional to spending on Warm Front; and what budget has been allocated to the service in each of the next three years.

Phil Woolas: We will be providing over 100 million in the next three years to the Energy Saving Trust to develop a proactive Green Homes Service, based on a regional network of one-stop shops. The service will provide advice not only on energy efficiency but also on microgeneration, water efficiency, recycling and greener travel, and easy access to an energy audit and the full range of discounted and free offers available. The funding will be additional to spending on Warm Front.

Pest Control: Devon

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make available funds from within existing budgets for home owners in Devon to erect electric fences and other measures to repel badgers.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 20 March 2008
	DEFRA has no plans to make funds available for home-owners in Devon to erect electric fences or other measures to repel badgers.

Planning Permission: Upchurch

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Environment Agency on usage of Four Gun Field in Upchurch, Sittingbourne.

Joan Ruddock: holding answer 20 March 2008
	The Environment Agency has not been approached regarding this site. However, it has had discussions with the Swale borough and Kent county councils.

Ports: Inspections

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many staff were based in each of his Department's port offices in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: The retrospective information is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate costs.
	The current staffing levels in each of the port offices is as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 North Shields 10 
			 Amble 3 
			 Hartlepool 2 
			 Whitehaven 2 
			 Fleetwood 5 
			 Grimsby 7 
			 Scarborough 8 
			 Kings Lynn 2 
			 Lowestoft 6 
			 Harwich 2 
			 Hastings 5 
			 Shoreham 4 
			 Poole 6 
			 Portsmouth 2 
			 Plymouth 9 
			 Brixham 8 
			 Newlyn 9 
			 Penryn 4 
		
	
	We have not included details of fishery officer staff based in Wales as they transfer to the Welsh Assembly Government on 1 April 2008. Administrative staff based in Wales are already employees of the Welsh Assembly Government.
	Information on previous years is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Resomation

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the environmental benefits of the disposal of bodies via resomation; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: At present we are unable to give an indication of environmental risk. To do this the companies providing this service would need to supply a detailed analysis of the products from the process and to liaise with the appropriate regulator.

Rural Payments Agency: Consultants

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much the Rural Payments Agency has spent on external consultants in each of the last three years; and what the cost was of each engagement.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 21 March 2008
	The amounts spent on external consultants by the Rural Payments Agency in each of the last three years are shown in the following table:
	
		
			   
			   Financial Year  
			  Supplier name  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  3 year totals 
			 Atos Consulting   100,000 100,000 
			 Black  Veatch 473,127   473,127 
			 Corven  277,159  277,159 
			 Gartner 47,811 318,886 502,954 869,651 
			 Helm  1,836,392  1,836,392 
			 Logica 931,254 459,816 237,090 1,628,160 
			 OEE   54,814 54,814 
			 Outside Insight   19,008 19,008 
			 Youll Consulting  2,979  2,979 
			  
			 Annual totals 1,452,192 2,895,232 913,866 5,261,290

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Iran

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the recent election results in Iran and their likely impact on UK-Iran relations.

Kim Howells: The parliamentary elections in Iran were neither free nor fair. Over a third of all prospective candidates were disqualified by the so-called Guardian Council prior to the elections. The people of Iran were denied their democratic right to choose freely from the full range of political views.
	Iran needs to take action to address international concerns, including the democratic shortcomings and lack of fundamental freedoms inside the country.

Burma

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the political situation in Burma.

Meg Munn: The Government continue to be deeply concerned by the political situation in Burma. The regime's proposed referendum on a new constitution in May, and elections in 2010, will not bring peace, stability and national reconciliation to Burma. By excluding the opposition and the ethnic groups, the process will entrench division rather than unite Burma. The regime has made no progress towards meeting the demands set out by the UN Security Council in October 2007.

Pakistan

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the political situation in Pakistan.

Kim Howells: Parliamentary and provincial elections took place in Pakistan on 18 February. It was an important opportunity for the people of Pakistan to exercise their democratic voice. The political partiesPakistan Peoples Party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Awami National Partyhave said publicly that they will form a coalition and work together. A new assembly has been called and elections for the speaker took place on 18 March. The announcement of the new Prime Minister is expected soon.

US Ballistic Missile Defence Programme

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the US Administration on development of their ballistic missile defence programme in the UK.

Kim Howells: I refer the hon. Member to chapter 4, section 4.68 of the recently published National Security Strategy which deals with the United Kingdom's response to the current and emerging security challenges. We already contribute to ballistic missile early warning through the facilities at RAF Fylingdales and RAF Menwith Hill, and we regularly discuss with the US ongoing support.

Israel

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many representations he has made since 1 January 2008 to the Government of Israel on Israeli action against the Palestinian community.

Kim Howells: The UK makes regular representations to the Government of Israel regarding their actions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories via the UK embassy in Tel Aviv and the Israeli embassy in London. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has made numerous public statements and personally spoken to members of the Israeli Government, including Foreign Minister Livni and Defence Minister Barak, six times since January 2008 on this issue.

Tibet

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government's response to the recent events in Tibet.

David Miliband: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for North Wiltshire (Mr. Gray) today (UIN 196052).

Tibet

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the political situation in Tibet.

Meg Munn: We remain concerned about the situation in Tibet. We understand an uneasy calm has returned to streets of Lhasa though unrest has spread to surrounding regions. We continue to urge the Chinese to respect fully the human rights of those detained; to avoid use of excessive force in dealing with riots; and to respect freedom of expression and religion in Tibet. And we have called on the protesters, in Lhasa and elsewhere, to desist from further violence. We believe the best way to resolve the situation is for dialogue without pre-conditions, working towards a long-term solution acceptable to everyone.

Belize-Guatemala: Border Dispute

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on the statement on the border dispute between Belize and Guatemala; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: UK policy is to reduce the likelihood of conflict on the Belize-Guatemala border and to encourage settlement of the dispute through arbitration or negotiation.
	We do this through our contacts with both Governments and by supporting confidence building measures, designed to reduce the potential for conflict. These aim to improve links between the two countries and by providing impartial investigation and mediation of border incursions and other incidents.

Turks and Caicos Islands

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the future of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Meg Munn: The UK Government have good relations with the Turks and Caicos Islands, an overseas territory. This is based on the 1999 White Paper, Partnership for Prosperity, which includes the right of each territory to remain British if this is the wishfreely and democratically expressedof their people.

Russia

Ian Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on UK relations with Russia.

Jim Murphy: Close engagement with Russia is important to the successful achievement of a wide range of the Government's international priorities, including climate and energy security, as well as Kosovo and Iran. The UK/Russia bilateral trade and investment relationship is vibrant and growing. We want to build an effective partnership with Russia, which furthers our national interest and principles.

Colombia

Sandra Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the political situation in Colombia.

Kim Howells: Colombia has suffered a devastating internal armed conflict in the past 40 years. We want all Colombian citizens, including trade unionists and human rights defenders to live free of fear of violence, murder and kidnapping. We are helping the Colombian Government and working closely with civil society in Colombia to protect and promote the rights of all Colombians.

Sri Lanka

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the political situation in Sri Lanka.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary recently stated that a sustainable solution to the conflict can only emerge through just political processes involving all communities and not through violence. We support efforts by the All-Party Representative Committee to devise a political solution. We would also welcome fresh thinking on solutions that satisfy the legitimate aspirations of all communities.

EU-Russian Relations

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on EU-Russian relations.

Jim Murphy: The EU and Russia share common interests and face common challenges. A comprehensive relationship based on trust should be our objective. EU support for the UK over Litvinenko and the British Council shows that it can. The best way to secure the relationship is through talks on a successor to the current Partnership and Co-operation Agreement.

Albania

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on Albania's request to participate in the forthcoming NATO summit in Bucharest.

Jim Murphy: The UK's policy is to firmly support Albania's North Atlantic Treaty Organisation membership application. Should a membership invitation be extended to Albania at the Bucharest Summit it will be invited to a short extraordinary meeting of the North Atlantic Council to welcome the start of the accession process.

Admiralty House

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what expenditure his Department has incurred on the ministerial flat in Admiralty House occupied by the right hon. Member for Ashfield (Mr. Hoon) since he vacated the property.

Meg Munn: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has incurred no expense on the ministerial flat occupied by my right hon. Friend the Member for Ashfield (Mr. Hoon) since he moved out of Admiralty House on 30 June 2006.

China: Arms Trade

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the EU-China arms embargo; what his policy is on proposals to end the embargo and place the arms trade with China under a strengthened EU Code of Conduct; when he expects these proposals will next be discussed at the General Affairs and External Relations Council; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: The EU-China Arms Embargo and EU Code of Conduct are separate. The European Council text on the embargo is politically binding and does not have the force of law. The embargo is narrowly defined by most major European exporters as covering lethal exports only. The UK's interpretation of the embargo was set out in a written answer the then Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. Derek Fatchett) gave to the then Member for Reading East (Jane Griffiths) on 3 June 1998,  Official Report, columns 246-47W. The EU Code of Conduct is the primary means of controlling arms sales and the UK regularly meets with its EU partners to discuss, enforce and strengthen it.
	There is currently no consensus within the EU to end the arms embargo. The European Council in December 2003 agreed to launch a review of the embargo, which is still under way. The matter was last discussed by EU Foreign Ministers at the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) on 13 December 2005. The embargo will not be discussed at the next GAERC and is not scheduled to be discussed in the near future. As set out in the December 2004 European Council Conclusions, the result of any decision on the embargo should not be an increase in arms exports from EU member states to China, either in quantitative or qualitative terms. The Government continue to fully implement the embargo.

China: Arms Trade

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the extent of China's arms trade with Sudan; what estimate he has made of the value of that trade; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: The UK does not keep comprehensive information about arms sales other than where the UK is an exporter. Sudan is subject to an EU arms embargo for all of Sudan and a UN embargo (UN Security Council Resolution 1591) for all arms in Darfur, but not the rest of Sudan.
	We have told the Chinese that arms supply to countries such as Sudan fuels rather than resolves conflict and we are urging China to apply the UN arms embargo more strictly, and use their influence with all parties for a peaceful resolution of the Darfur conflict.

China: Tourism

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Chinese authorities on the indefinite closing of access to Mount Everest for climbers.

Meg Munn: holding answer 20 March 2008
	We are aware that China has placed temporary restrictions on access to Mount Everest citing concerns over overcrowding and increasing environmental pressures. We will continue to monitor this situation and consider appropriate action. In the meantime, we continue to raise our concerns with the Chinese authorities about the events in Tibet and in the surrounding regions and we urge them to respect the rights of their citizens to express their political and religious views peacefully.

Departmental Intranet

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 18 February 2008,  Official Report, column 170W, on the departmental intranet, how many Wikipedia entries have been  (a) created and  (b) amended (i) by officials who are not special advisers or communications officials and (ii) from departmental IP addresses.

Meg Munn: This information is not held centrally and to collate it would incur disproportionate cost. If the Foreign and Commonwealth Office should decide to create or alter Wikipedia entries, any such input would be done in accordance with the civil service code. This states that civil servants should: use resources only for the authorised public purposes for which they are provided and make sure public money and other resources are used properly and efficiently.

Departmental Official Residences

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many ministerial residences were available to his Department's Ministers in each of the last 10 years.

Meg Munn: I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Mr. Watson) gave to him on 19 February 2008,  Official Report, column 688W.
	For each of the past 10 years the residence 1 Carlton Gardens has been available to my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary.

Departmental Official Residences

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what expenditure his Department has incurred in relation to the ministerial residence at 1 Carlton Gardens since the last resident vacated the property.

Meg Munn: Since 1 October 2007 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has spent 11,629.24 on the residence including expenditure on planned mechanical and electrical maintenance and facilities management charges. Other expenditure for the residence, which cannot be separated from the wider charge for the whole of 1 Carlton Gardens which continues to be used for official functions and meetings, totals 53,423.05 for the same period. This includes payment for rent and utilities. Security for 1 Carlton Gardens is included in the guarding contract for the FCO's UK estate; expenditure cannot be broken down by premises.

Departmental Pensions

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many and what percentage of staff in his Department were making additional voluntary contributions to their pensions in each of the last two years.

Meg Munn: 588 UK-appointed members of staff in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (9.7 per cent. of the total) were making additional voluntary pension contributions through deductions from their pay in February 2007. This has decreased to 585 members of staff (9.8 per cent. of the total) who were making additional voluntary pension contributions through deductions from their pay in February 2008.

Durban II

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on objectives PC1/13 numbers 1 and 4 of the Preparatory Committee for Durban II on reviewing progress and sharing best practice.

Meg Munn: Along with EU partners, we were able to join consensus on the objectives for the Durban Review Conference contained in decision PC.1/13 of the first session of the Preparatory Committee for the Durban Review Conference.
	We want the Durban Review Conference to assess how states have implemented the 2001 Durban Declaration and Programme for Action. This should be fundamental to the purpose of the conference. We therefore accepted at the August 2007 Preparatory Conference the need to review progress on implementation of relevant international agreements to which the UK is a party.
	The UK has replied to a questionnaire to member states of the UN prepared by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, which included detailed information on how the UK combats racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. We will seek opportunities to promote UK practice in combating all forms of intolerance through the Durban Review Conference.

EC Institutions: Accountancy

Richard Shepherd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reasons the official auditors have failed to approve the accounts of the European Union in recent years; for how long these refusals have been applied; and what steps are being taken by the EU to change its practices so that the accounts can be approved.

Jim Murphy: holding answer 18 March 2008
	As my right hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury set out on 28 January in the annual debate on the European Court of Auditor's (ECA) report into the EU's finances, since 1994 the ECA has been required to provide a
	declaration of assurance
	on the EU's accounts. Since that date this has not been possible. Much of the ECA's difficulty in giving a positive statement of assurance arises from those areas of spending, which are jointly managed by the European Commission and member states, amounting to almost 80 per cent. of EU budget spending in 2006. Improvements have been made in recent years.
	This Government are determined to ensure that EU funds are always used properly and efficiently. The UK is one of four member states, along with the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden, that has proactively increased national audit requirements on EU spending and parliamentary scrutiny. The UK will be publishing its first consolidated statement and audit opinion in the spring, in respect of 2006-07.
	A number of measures have been taken to improve the planning, management and control of the EU's budget. This includes a new financial regulation setting out rules for spending and the implementation of the Commission's Action Plan towards an Integrated Internal Control Framework. The 2008-09 EU budget review will be an important opportunity to look again at the accounting and financial management framework of the EU's budget to ensure stronger financial management.

EU Common Foreign and Security Policy

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the mechanism is for resolving any disagreements between the Government and the European Union concerning the common security policy.

Jim Murphy: As the Lisbon treaty makes clear, all substantive decisions regarding the Common Security and Defence Policy are taken by Council acting in unanimity. The Government work with their European partners to develop a consensus on the issues that come to Council. If, however, member states are unable to agree on a particular issue, then there will be no Common EU policy on that issue.

EU Common Foreign and Security Policy

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the President of the European Council will have the ability to make decisions affecting the common security and defence policy without reference from the Council.

Jim Murphy: The President of the European Council has no role in making defence decisions. The Lisbon treaty makes clear decisions relating to the common security and defence policy, including those initiating a mission as referred to in this Article, shall be adopted by the Council acting unanimously on a proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy or an initiative from a Member State.

Gaza: Hamas

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what steps he  (a) has taken and  (b) plans to take at the United Nations on the compliance of Hamas with international law in Gaza; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what steps he  (a) has taken and  (b) plans to take at the United Nations on the use by Hamas of human shields in Gaza; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: The UN Security Council has held a number of meetings on this issue in recent weeks during which the UK has reiterated its condemnation of the firing of rockets by Hamas against civilian areas in southern Israel, from civilian areas in Gaza. While we will continue to make our views clear, we are not planning to take specific action. On 4 March, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed the situation in Gaza with the UN Secretary-General.
	A number of UN Security Council Resolutions on Israel/Occupied Palestinian Territories call on the Palestinians to end terrorism and stress the need to respect international humanitarian law.

Gaza: Hamas

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions  (a) he,  (b) Ministers and  (c) officials in his Department have had with (i) Arab states and (ii) the government of Israel on (A) the compliance of Hamas with international law in Gaza and (B) the use by Hamas of human shields in Gaza; what response was received from each; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary, Foreign and Commonwealth officials and I regularly discuss issues connected with the Middle East Peace Process with counterparts and senior government figures and officials in the region. The Government have made their position on Hamas, its policies and its activities clear. The international community continues to urge Hamas to renounce violence, recognise Israel and accept existing agreements and obligations, including the Roadmap. As such, Hamas compliance with international law has not been part of the discussions.

Indonesia: Religious Freedom

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of the action taken against Rev Bedali Hulu in Indonesia; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: We are aware of reports of attacks against the house of Reverend Bedali Hulu and the difficulties facing his congregation from the Jakarta Christian Baptist Church. Christians in Indonesia, in general, enjoy a high degree of religious freedom. Their right to worship is protected under the Indonesian constitution. Regrettably there are sporadic incidents of inter-religious violence in certain areas. We continue to call for religious tolerance across Indonesia.

Malta: Health Services

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions  (a) he,  (b) Ministers in his Department and  (c) officials have had with the Governments of (i) Malta and (ii) Poland on their dissent from the line adopted by the European Union on reproductive health at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women meeting in New York; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers have had no direct contact with their Maltese and Polish counterparts during the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) meeting in New York. During the CSW UK officials spoke alongside a number of other EU partners to defend language that has previously been agreed by the EU on sexual and reproductive health rights.